Dawn of new era for French & Saunders Comedy partners back on TV to host kids talent show
FRENCH and Saunders are to reunite on TV for the first time in 10 years.
Jennifer will be joining Dawn to host Little Big Shots – a new kids talent show set to air on ITV next year.
It’s based on an original stateside series. There are no prizes, and no winners or losers – it simply gives the chance for three to 13-year-olds to show their skills.
Those taking part range from black belt karate champions to classical music masters.
Jennifer and Dawn first rose to fame in the late 1980s with their comedy sketch show French on to more age-appropriate material. Each went on to star in their own shows.
Jennifer, 58, won a BAFTA and an Emmy Award for writing and playing the lead role of Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous. She also won an American People’s Choice Award for voicing the wicked Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2.
Meanwhile Dawn, 58, starred in much-loved sitcom The Vicar of Dibley. More recently she has starred in Jam and Jerusalem, written by Jennifer, and Lark Rise to Candleford.
In 2009, they were jointly awarded the BAFTA Fellowship.
Dawn’s involvement in Little Big Shots was announced in August. She said: “I love, love, love everything about it.” I loved Sunday afternoon TV, watching Liberace with my mother, father and brother. It made me want to sing and play piano. I also loved Armchair Theatre – it’s one of the things that made me want to be an actor.
I love watching Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. I love Strictly for the sequins and seeing people who struggle at the start go really far. Craig is brilliant too. With the jungle, everyone is out of their comfort zone. I love Ant & Dec. The Ray Donovan series, with the lovely Eddie Marsanrsan who plays Terry Donovan.novan. I thought Doctor Foster was wonderful. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed oyed every moment of Dickensian. There are so many... at the moment I love Aidan Turner, Rufus Sewell and nd Toby Jones. My y daughter Claudieie is a wonderful actress ress too, and not just because she’s my daughter.
Lin plays Pam Coker in EastEnders