Fans hail Dawn French’s Comic Relief sketch as one of her all-time best: ‘French and Saunders. Still the greatest after all these years’
Dawn French teamed up with a star-studded cast, including Jennifer Saunders, Ewan McGregor and Mary Berry for what many are calling the funniest skit for ages
From the Vicar of Dibley to her endless impressions, Dawn French has been a leading lady in comedy for decades.
But that’s not to say she’s ever resting on her laurels.
Not only did she break the internet with her “new boyfriend” earlier this year and went on a hugely successful tour (with a suitably shocking name), Dawn has delivered what many are calling one of her best performances ever for this year’s Comic Relief.
A post shared by Dawn French (@dawnrfrench)
A photo posted by on
In the United Kingdom, Comic Relief is an annual fundraiser which unites comedians and other celebrities to raise money for charity.
It was founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis – responsible for movies like Love, Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral - and comedian (and Dawn’s ex) Lenny Henry in response to the famine in Ethiopia.
For this year’s fundraiser, Dawn turned her comedic talents onto one of the surprise reality hits on both sides of the globe – The Traitors.
Popular after airing a season of non-famous competitors in the UK and a celebrity edition in the United States, the Traitors involves lots of backstabbing and betrayal.
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
For the skit, Dawn brought together a cast of super famous individuals from different industries.
From Ewan McGregor to model David Gandy, Absolutely Fabulous’ Jennifer Saunders and even Dame Mary Berry, it was a riotous sketch perfectly capped off by Dawn’s spot on impression of BBC host, Claudia Winkleman.
Claudia was such a fan of Dawn’s portrayal the pair posed together earlier this month – giving fans online a case of seeing double!
After the sketch aired, fans took to social media to praise Dawn.
They say never meet your idols, I say meet them cos @Dawn_French was bloody lovely and really looked out for me and wilf! ♥️ please donate to comic relief Red Nose Day - link in my bio xxx #faithful #comicrelief pic.twitter.com/euSzOKMjtpMarch 17, 2023
One, a contestant named Maddy who appeared in the UK’s season of The Traitors, wrote about meeting the funny lady, “They say never meet your idols, I say meet them cos @Dawn_French was bloody lovely and really looked out for me and wilf![sic]”
“Dawn French being Claudia Winkleman is one of the funniest impressions I've ever ever seen. ‘I'm Claudia Winkleman, half woman, half fringe.’ I can not stop laughing.”
And the only person who could compete with Dawn’s hilarious sketch is… Dawn herself.
Many fans said that this new skit was only surpassed by a now iconic Comic Relief sketch which saw Dawn French put the french into her kiss with Hugh Grant.
Dawn puckered up to Notting Hill star Hugh in 1995 wearing a dress held together by safety pins – an ode to the Versace look made famous by Hugh’s then girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley.
After playing coy for a while, Dawn and Hugh ended up locking lips for a long, long time – to rapturous laughter.
After she became famous for the kiss, Dawn followed it up with some seriously admirable smooches, including Johnny Depp, George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
Here's hoping to many more legendary Dawn French appearances for Comic Relief!
Jack Slater is not the Last Action Hero, but that's what comes up first when you Google him. Preferring a much more sedentary life, Jack gets his thrills by covering news, entertainment, celebrity, film and culture for woman&home, and other digital publications.
Having written for various print and online publications—ranging from national syndicates to niche magazines—Jack has written about nearly everything there is to write about, covering LGBTQ+ news, celebrity features, TV and film scoops, reviewing the latest theatre shows lighting up London’s West End and the most pressing of SEO based stories.
-
Kate Middleton attends moving public engagement at Windsor Castle for first time since 'completing' cancer treatment
The Princess of Wales resumed her royal duties and met with a young photographer whose 'creativity and strength' hugely inspired her
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
How we test heated clothes airers - hot takes from the experts
Here's all the behind the scenes details of how we test heated clothes airers before we curate our buying guide for the best heated clothes airers
By Laura Honey Published
-
Dawn French’s encounter with this royal left her thinking she was a ‘witch’
Dawn French shared her less than ideal encounter with this royal – plus the heartbreaking reason she quit French & Saunders
By Jack Slater Published
-
Dawn French reveals secret 14-year-long agony over traumatic injury
Dawn French shared the startling news with an audience at one of her shows, opening up about the ‘emotional’ memory of the ‘last time she had two functioning legs’
By Jack Slater Published
-
Dawn French has become an accidental fashion influencer, and it’s all thanks to... tea towels
Dawn French’s chic tea towel dress has delighted fans on social media
By Jack Slater Published
-
Dawn French rocks silver bob and sneakers on red carpet and looks fab
Dawn French's trademark bob is back with a silver twist as fans gush over the Welsh comedian's recent West End appearance
By Emma Dooney Published
-
Dawn French's 'new boyfriend' reveal in Instagram post is the funniest thing we've seen all week
Dawn French's 'new boyfriend' turns out to be someone very well known and one of his first roles was on Absolutely Fabulous
By Aoife Hanna Published
-
Dawn French sparks Strictly speculation with new photo—'that’s a partnership I’d like to see'
Dawn French has fans dreaming of Strictly news to come after posting alongside this popular professional dancer...
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Dawn French pays tribute to 'phenomenal woman' Joan Washington after she passes away
Richard E Grant announced the death of his wife
By Georgia Farquharson Published
-
Dawn French's big life lessons—from 'grieving' her marriage to Lenny Henry to moving on in Cornwall
Dawn French is one of the funniest women in the business, but what is she like behind the scenes?
By Georgia Farquharson Published