Dawn French series to return

Dawn French sitcom Can You Keep A Secret? has been renewed for a second series.

The news comes after the first episode was seen by an audience of 5.3 million in the 28 days after it dropped in early January. 

Averaged over the whole series, the show, written by Simon Mayhew-Archer, averaged 3.3 million, making it the third biggest comedy launch on BBC iPlayer since the start of 2024, following Ludwig and Amandaland.

Mark Heap, who played the reclusive husband whose death was faked by French’s character Debbie to claim the life insurance, returns for a second series, as does Craig Roberts as their son Harry and Mandip Gill as his wife, Neha, a police officer. 

French said: ‘As chuffed as an actual chuff to hear that we have a second series! More chance for Debbie to get her bossy boots on and create further havoc... hooray.’

Mayhew-Archer added: ‘Making this series was a joyous experience. Comedy is a team game, and Dawn, Mark, Craig, Mandip and the whole cast and crew are dream collaborators. 

'I love sitcoms and I want more of them on TV, so I am enormously grateful to everyone who has watched this show and taken the Fendons to their hearts. I hope our success will help even more comedy get made across the UK. It’s one of our national superpowers - and we need it!’

Filming for series two will take place later this year in the West Country, with the broadcast date to be announced later. 

The show is made by Big Talk Studios, whose chief executive Kenton Allen said the show ‘combines a brilliantly mischievous premise with genuine emotional truth, brought to life by Dawn French in one of the great sitcom performances of her career’.

Jon Petrie, the BBC’s director of comedy Commissioning added: ‘The response to Can You Keep a Secret? has been fantastic. Dawn French and the whole creative team have crafted a warm, mischievous comedy that clearly struck a chord with audiences. We’re delighted to bring it back for a second series and can’t wait to see even more secrets unravel.’

Filming for series two will take place later this year in the West Country. Transmission details will be revealed in due course.

Made by: Big Talk Studios, Mayhay Studios and CBS Studios  for iPlayer and BBC One
Written and created by: Simon Mayhew-Archer.
Executive producers: Kenton Allen, Simon Mayhew-Archer, Dawn French and Toby Welch
Commissioned by: Jon Petrie
 Commissioning editors: Gregor Sharp and Roya Eslami

Published: 18 Feb 2026