Dawn French hints at show's return... and a promotion

The Vicar of Dibley could be heading for for a comeback – with Geraldine Granger promoted to bishop.

Dawn French hinted at the sitcom’s return after more than a decade as she promoted her stand-up tour in Australia.

She said: ’It could change: you know we now have Church law in the UK that women could be bishops so who knows? Watch this space — she might get a promotion.’

Such a shift would be in line with the plot of last year’s Comic Relief special, in which Geraldine lost her job as Vicar and narrowly missed out on becoming a bishop.

French admits there would need to be changes rather than simply reviving the same show that ran from 1994 to 2007. One issue is that ‘our old guys are really old now’. And of course, Roger Lloyd-Pack, who played Owen, died last year

‘So I don’t think we could revisit it, because it’s just too different,’ the comic said.

Creator Richard Curtis was inspired to write The Vicar Of Dibley after the Church of England permitted the ordination of women in 1992. Last year, Libby Lane became Bishop of Stockport, becoming the Church’s first female bishop.

The Vicar of Dibley has won three British Comedy Awards and been nominated for six Baftas, and speaking to Australia’s news.com.au, French said: ‘It was incredibly popular in the UK — as it here, which I’m delighted to know. So you kind of get elevated to a status that you’re very lucky and privileged to have. But I don’t take any of that for granted.’

As well as last year’s special, French has previously reprised the role for Comic Relief sketches in 2007 and 2013.

Published: 15 Feb 2016