Dawn Roma French (born 11 October 1957) is a British actress, comedian, presenter and writer. French is known for writing and starring on the BBC comedy sketch show French and Saunders with her best friend and comedy partner, Jennifer Saunders, and played the lead role as Geraldine Granger in the BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley. She has been nominated for seven BAFTA TV Awards and won a BAFTA Fellowship with Saunders in 2009.
Known For
BeddyByes
Gramma Leeba · (10 episodes)
2025
Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2024
Joan Rivers at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2024
The Nevermets
Narrator · (6 episodes)
2024
Dawn French Is a Huge Twat
Self
2023
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
Self - featured artist
2023
The Magician's Elephant
Sister Marie (voice)
2023
Comedy Classics: The Vicar of Dibley
Self (archive material)
2022
Red Riding Hood: After Ever After
Twit
2022
Death on the Nile
Bowers
2022
Walk the Line
Self - Judge · (6 episodes)
2021
An Audience with Adele
Self
2021
The Secret World Of...
Self - Narrator · (3 episodes)
2021
French & Saunders: Funny Women
Self
2021
The Vicar of Dibley: Inside Out
Self
2021
Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse
Beatrix Potter
2020
A Baby Reindeer's First Christmas
Narrator
2020
The Vicar of Dibley: In Lockdown
Geraldine Granger
2020
The Trouble with Maggie Cole
Maggie Cole · (6 episodes)
2020
Completely Bad News
Tracy
2019
RuPaul's Drag Race UK
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2019
300 Years of French & Saunders
2017
Comic Relief: Red Nose Day
Self
2017
Little Big Shots
Host · (12 episodes)
2017
Confessions of the Paparazzi
Self
2017
Dawn French Live: 30 Million Minutes
Self
2016
Delicious
Gina Benelli · (12 episodes)
2016
Darcey Bussell: My Life on the BBC
Self
2016
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
Various Characters (archive footage) (uncredited)
2016
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Interviewer
2016
Travel Man: 48 Hours in...
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2015
The Wrong Mans
Linda · (3 episodes)
2013
Heading Out
Frances · (1 episode)
2013
Five Go to Rehab
George
2012
30 Years of Comic Strip
2012
Superstar
Self - Chief Judge · (12 episodes)
2012
Matthew Bourne's Christmas
Self - Host
2011
Michael Bublé: Home for Christmas
Self
2011
Catherine Tate: Laughing at the Noughties
Self
2011
French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years
2011
Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders
2011
Psychoville Halloween Special
Joy Aston
2010
Roger & Val Have Just Got In
Val Stevenson · (12 episodes)
2010
Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline'
Self
2009
Psychoville
Joy Aston · (13 episodes)
2009
Coraline
Miss Miriam Forcible / Other Forcible (voice)
2009
French and Saunders: Still Alive
Self
2008
Lark Rise to Candleford
Caroline Arless · (40 episodes)
2008
Dawn French's Boys Who Do Comedy
Presenter · (3 episodes)
2007
More Dawn French's Boys Who Do: Comedy
Presenter · (6 episodes)
2007
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
(5 episodes)
2007
Donizetti: La Fille du Régiment
La Duchesse de Crackentorp
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (14 episodes)
2007
Comedy Shuffle
(1 episode)
2007
Jam and Jerusalem
Rosie Bales · (19 episodes)
2006
Love and Other Disasters
Therapist
2006
The One Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2006
The One Show
Self · (1 episode)
2006
When Comedy Changed Forever
Self (archive material)
2006
Davina
(1 episode)
2006
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Mrs. Beaver (voice)
2005
The F Word
(1 episode)
2005
The Comic Strip - A Retrospective
Self
2005
Comic Aid
2005
Agatha Christie's Marple
Janet Erskine · (1 episode)
2004
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Self - Narrator
2004
The Paul O'Grady Show
(1 episode)
2004
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The Fat Lady
2004
Bosom Pals
(2 episodes)
2004
Wild West
Mary Trewednack · (12 episodes)
2002
Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy
(3 episodes)
2002
The Best of French & Saunders
Various
2002
Pongwiffy
(14 episodes)
2002
V Graham Norton
Self · (1 episode)
2002
Ted and Alice
(3 episodes)
2002
Happiness
Dawn French · (1 episode)
2001
Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl
Self
2001
French & Saunders - Live
Various roles
2000
Maybe Baby
Charlene
2000
The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything
(2 episodes)
2000
David Copperfield
Mrs. Crupp · (2 episodes)
1999
Watership Down
(39 episodes)
1999
Let Them Eat Cake
(6 episodes)
1999
Milk
Virginia
1999
Four Men in a Car
Stella
1998
Parkinson
Self · (3 episodes)
1998
Sex & Chocolate
Bev Bodger
1997
Treasure Island
Jim Hawkins
1997
The Adventures of Pinocchio
Baker's Wife
1996
TFI Friday
Self · (1 episode)
1996
Look at the State We're In!
Clerk · (6 episodes)
1995
The Vicar of Dibley
Revd Geraldine Granger · (14 episodes)
1994
Harry Enfield and Chums
Mrs Goggins · (1 episode)
1994
Dusty
Self - Presenter
1994
Tender Loving Care
Elaine Dobbs
1993
The Legends of Treasure Island
Jim Hawkins (voice)
1993
The Legends of Treasure Island
Jim Hawkins (voice) · (26 episodes)
1993
Space Virgins from Planet Sex
Gaynor
1993
French & Saunders: At the Movies
1993
In Dreams
Driving Instructor
1992
Absolutely Fabulous
Kathy · (1 episode)
1992
Red Nose of Courage
Glynis Kinnock
1992
Amnesty International's Big 30
Self
1991
Murder Most Horrid
Various characters · (24 episodes)
1991
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
Porcas
1990
French & Saunders LIVE
1990
Spaghetti Hoops
Francesca
1990
Oxford
Caroline
1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1
Frances / Mrs. Shines
1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!
Frances
1990
GLC: The Carnage Continues
Cher as Joan Ruddock
1990
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
Self
1989
Bosses From Hell
1989
Communicators From Hell
1989
Employees From Hell
1989
An Audience With Victoria Wood
Self
1988
The Storyteller
Badsister 2 · (1 episode)
1988
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
Mrs. Cooper
1988
More Bad News
Rachel
1988
The Strike
Verity/Old Lady/Celebrity
1988
Eat the Rich
Debbie Draws
1987
Going Live!
Self · (1 episode)
1987
French & Saunders
Various Characters · (39 episodes)
1987
The Silurian Disruption
Silurian #1
1987
Experiment IV
Lab Assistant 1
1986
The Comic Relief Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live
Self
1986
Comedians Do It On Stage
Self
1986
Private Enterprise
Nayler
1986
Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)
Consuela
1986
The Supergrass
Andrea
1985
Girls On Top
Amanda · (13 episodes)
1985
Happy Families
Cook · (6 episodes)
1985
Slags
Passion
1984
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?
Veronica
1984
Gino: Full Story and Pics
Fiona/Frances
1984
A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques
Jackie
1984
Susie
Susie
1984
Dirty Movie
Monica
1984
Five Go Mad on Mescalin
George
1983
Summer School
Ursula
1983
Bad News
Tracy
1983
The Beat Generation
Eleanor
1983
War
Hermine
1983
The Young Ones
Christian Evangelist · (1 episode)
1982
The Young Ones
Devil in Advert · (1 episode)
1982
The Young Ones
Easter Bunny · (1 episode)
1982
Five Go Mad in Dorset
George
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
George · (3 episodes)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Ursula · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Hermine · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Veronica · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Passion · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Eleanor · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Nayler · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Jackie/First Nun · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Consuela · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Susie · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Fiona/Frances · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Tracy · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Monica · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Verity/Old Lady/Celebrity · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Rachel · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Mrs. Cooper · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Joan · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Frances/Mrs. Shines · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Frances · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Caroline · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Gaynor · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Glynis Kinnock · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Francesca · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Stella · (1 episode)
1982
Can You Keep a Secret?
Debbie Fendon · (0 episode)
The Comic Strip Presents...
(46 episodes)
1982
Wogan
Self · (2 episodes)
1982
The Comic Strip
1981
An Audience with...
Self · (1 episode)
1978
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self · (15 episodes)
1976
The BAFTA Awards
Self · (1 episode)
1949