Dawn French, a name synonymous with British comedy, once believed she’d hung up her sitcom hat for good. After captivating audiences in the belovedFrench and Saundersand then as the unforgettable Vicar of Dibley, the thought of returning to the genre felt…unlikely. But a persistent writer, and a surprisingly compelling script, changed everything.
The new six-part series,Can You Keep a Secret?, centers around Debbie Fendon, a woman whose life takes a bizarre turn when her seemingly reclusive husband, William, unexpectedly “dies” while they’re watching television. The shock isn’t the death itself, but what follows – a revelation that throws their family into a whirlwind of deception.
Months later, as the substantial £250,000 life insurance payout looms, Debbie is forced to confess a startling truth to their anxious son, Harry: his father isn’t actually dead. He’s…alive. A series of improbable events led to William being declared deceased, and Debbie, seeing a financial opportunity, decided to remain silent.
Complicating matters further is their daughter-in-law, Neha, a local police officer with a keen eye for detail. Her presence adds a layer of suspense and the constant threat of exposure to this already precarious situation. The premise is delightfully outlandish, a perfect breeding ground for the witty chaos that defines the series.
French admits she initially approached the script with skepticism. It was penned by Simon Mayhew-Archer, son of Paul Mayhew-Archer, the original creator ofThe Vicar of Dibley. “When Paul ‘bullied’ me into reading it, I was nervous,” she confessed. “I wasn’t actively seeking another sitcom. Good ones are rare, and I braced myself for polite rejection.”
But the script quickly disarmed her. She recognized the heart within the humor, a quality she deeply valued. “I knew what he was writing about – his dad – who I know well. It had beautiful heart, as well as being really funny. I liked how minimal it was, focusing on the dynamics within that one house.”
Crucially, French was relieved that the initial vision of the script remained intact throughout the production process. “I hoped it wouldn’t be over-complicated during development. So often, too many voices can dilute the original idea, but that didn’t happen here.”
The story’s inspiration, it turns out, isn’t entirely fictional. Both French and co-star Mark Heap drew parallels to real-life cases of individuals who faked their own deaths. “Immediately, I thought of ‘The Canoe Man’,” Heap recalled, referencing the infamous John Darwin case. “People *do* fake their deaths. It’s a fact! I even read about a woman who woke up in her own coffin!”
Despite the morally questionable actions of their characters, both actors believe audiences will find themselves rooting for Debbie and William. “It’s morally dubious, absolutely,” Heap acknowledged with a grin. “But you’ll still want them to succeed, even if it’s illegal. They haven’t hurt anyone.”
French added, “Debbie feels she’s *owed* this money. It’s a fine line between fraud and justice. She makes that one decision, and everything else is a consequence. Everyone gets pulled in, whether they like it or not. But William is easily persuaded – he’d rather be at home than socializing!”
The series is brimming with sharp wit and laugh-out-loud moments, but one scene proved particularly challenging for French: a mortuary scene requiring an unexpected kiss. “I had a hard time in the funeral parlour,” she laughed. “I had to kiss a man I’d never met, lying there with a very pale, ‘dead’ face. He was charming, but being told you’ll be kissing someone later that day is…awkward. Especially when they’re playing dead!”
With the first season wrapped, French is currently focused on her writing, but the question of a reunion with her long-time comedy partner, Jennifer Saunders, inevitably arises. The duo, who first met as students, have continued to collaborate on various projects over the years.
“We’re always talking about what we might do, but we’re quite lazy,” French admitted with a smile. “Ideas come and go. Our podcast is often a fertile ground for inspiration, but life gets in the way. We enjoy our time apart, but we also love working together. The main reason to collaborate is simply to spend more time with each other. We’ve agreed on that – we’d like to, but we just don’t know what it is yet.”
Can You Keep a Secret?promises a hilarious and heartwarming journey into the lives of a delightfully dysfunctional family. It’s a testament to the power of a well-crafted script, and a reminder of Dawn French’s enduring comedic brilliance.
