Dawn French is one of Britain’s most beloved comedians, but her journey to becoming a national treasure is far more surprising than you might think.

In this episode of Beginning, Middle & End, Dawn sits down with Mo Gilligan to reveal how a shared flat with Jennifer Saunders changed her life forever, the heartbreak she carried after losing her father, and the unexpected path that led her from teaching drama to performing comedy above a Soho strip club.

She shares never-before-heard stories from the birth of alternative comedy, working alongside legends like Rik Mayall and Robin Williams, The Vicar of Dibley, and the friendship that has kept her and Jennifer Saunders together for over four decades.

Funny, honest, moving and packed with incredible stories, this is Dawn French like you’ve never heard her before.

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with the world’s biggest entertainers, comedians and cultural icons.

00:00 Intro & Meeting Again After The Masked Singer
00:46 Growing Up Between Wales, Devon & Cornwall
03:33 Was The Vicar of Dibley Inspired By Her Roots?
04:43 Childhood Fears: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang & Wizard of Oz
05:41 Discovering A Love For Comedy
07:25 Drama School, Jennifer Saunders & Finding Her Path
08:42 Why Everyone Needs Three Years To Be An Idiot
10:35 Choosing Performance Over Theatre Production
11:40 First Impressions Of Jennifer Saunders
15:07 The Flat Share That Changed Everything
16:28 Friendship, Grief & Finding A Comedy Partner
17:20 "Where's Jennifer?" Life As An Iconic Double Act
18:27 The Birth Of Alternative Comedy
20:03 Auditioning For The Comic Strip
21:36 Teaching By Day, Comedy By Night
22:52 Robin Williams, Jack Nicholson & The Cool Comedy Scene
23:32 Surviving Brutal Comedy Club Audiences
25:08 Channel 4, The Comic Strip & Making Films
27:17 Equal Pay & Rick Mayall's Stand
28:35 Learning Creative Control In Comedy
31:09 Creating The Famous "Fat Men" Sketches
33:12 Why Comedy Is So Hard To Explain
34:44 The Secret To A 20-Year Comedy Partnership
37:27 Awards, Fame & Why She Hates Ceremonies
41:34 Jennifer Saunders Forces Her To Accept A BAFTA
43:31 Receiving A Lifetime Achievement Award
46:36 The Creation Of The Vicar Of Dibley
49:16 Making Geraldine Granger Human & Funny
50:40 The Hidden Edge Behind The Vicar Of Dibley
51:32 How The Show Changed Lives
52:28 Becoming A Bestselling Novelist
56:36 Falling In Love With Writing
58:24 Writing Her Most Personal & Ambitious Novel Yet
58:45 Losing Her Father To Suicide
01:00:14 The Powerful Premise Behind "Enough"
01:03:35 Writing A Life-Affirming Story About Death
01:04:31 Why This Book Is Different
01:05:32 Final Thoughts & Reflections
01:06:26 Giving Dawn French Her Flowers
01:07:37 Outro


Welcome to my YouTube Channel!

Subscribe for brand new stand up, behind the scenes action, sensational podcast content and exclusives from the MOMO G Network.

Comment, like, share and tell us what you think.
Follow Mo on Twitter/Instagram: Twitter: mothecomedian | Instagram: mothecomedian

Like the page on Facebook: Facebook: mogilligan

Join the Mo Gilligan mailing list on www.mogilligan.com for updates on shows and events.