I don’t have a tangible skill ... but I can move my eyes independently
MARION McMULLEN discovers Dawn French’s secret talent as the nation’s comedy favourite, 60, returns with a new series of Little Big Shots on ITV
What was the reaction to the first series of Little Big Shots?
FANTASTIC. My in-laws love it. What I really like about it is that it’s old-fashioned family viewing.
It’s got kids in it, but it’s not a kids-only show. It’s for everyone.
Quite a lot of what I do divides people. Some like it, some don’t.
That’s fine, but this, everyone seems to love it.
What would your secret talent be if you were to go on the show?
I DIDN’T really ever have a proper, well honed talent! I did a bit of dancing. I certainly couldn’t sing, but thought I could, so perhaps that.
What would I do now? Hmm. I haven’t actually got a tangible skill.
It’s a bit shocking. Well, I can move my eyes independently. It is a bit of an odd thing and I’ve been able to do it ever since I was very little.
I think for a while my parents might have thought I was possessed. But I can do it.
What do you love so much about making the series?
A BIG attraction for me was that you are not promising these kids they are going to be big stars, there’s no prizing or judging or horrible critiques or anything like that.
Everybody understands that, for that one little moment, they get to shine, doing the thing that they love doing.
The kids you have on the show are incredibly diverse, aren’t they?
THEY’RE so different because they’re all different ages, all different sizes, colours, creeds, countries, and talents. The talent is so varied. Some of them sing and dance and they are lovely. But some of them are just kids who’ve done something silly and funny on YouTube.
Are there any moments that stand out?
WE HAD a little boy called Marshall who is four years old. He got a guardsman’s outfit at Christmas and he loved to march in it so his family took him to Windsor Castle and filmed him meeting a proper guardsman.
The guardsman stood still at first, like he’s supposed to, then he went indoors and got permission from his senior to go out and march with Marshall.
Marshall’s day, his week, his year was made by doing that.
Any other memorable acts?
THE Russian aerialists were absolutely extraordinary. Tiny, tiny, little perfect little creatures.
They were strapped in so I knew they couldn’t fall, but nevertheless, the courage it takes to do that.
One thing I actually really love is the interpreters. We have these amazing kids with their talents from Russia, the Philippines, Romania, Germany, America, you name it.
A lot of them can’t speak the language, so then you meet other remarkable kids who translate.
What’s it like back stage before the kids come on?
THE producers are very good. They are very kid friendly.
When they come to the studio, they don’t meet me, and that’s on purpose, it’s best for our show if they are meeting me for the first time in front of the audience.
They see a picture of me but all they need to know beforehand is that I’m this lady who’s going to talk to them. It makes it much more natural.
Is there anything else you enjoy about the series?
I GET loads of presents! It’s heaven.
These kids come from all over the world and all over the country with all kinds of wonderful things. I get everything from little Tupperware boxes of cookies to Russian matryoshka dolls.
Some judo brothers gave me a black belt. So now I’m a black belt and I didn’t even have to earn it. I’ve got a great ukulele as well, some drumsticks from this amazing little girl.
As it happens, my stepson is a drummer, and he saw them immediately and said, “Oh, I like these. May I borrow them?”, and I haven’t seen them since.
You dressed up a lot filming French and Saunders. Do you enjoy fancy dress parties?
I’VE got it very wrong in real life.
Elton John used to throw amazing, huge, great big parties and I was lucky enough to go to a couple of those.
Len (ex-husband Lenny Henry) and I once went as Michael Jackson and Bubbles. He was Michael Jackson and I was Bubbles.
Hilarious for about five minutes, and then hot, and then I could smell my own body rotting from the inside of the costume.
It was a full chimpanzee outfit, I could hardly see anything!
When I eventually took the head off, and just mucked about sweating a lot, at the very glamorous party, I looked around and there were all these people in very glamorous versions of fancy dress.
There were all these sexy jailbirds or flappers or whatever is cool and comfortable, and glam. And I was not.
I’ve done that many, many times. I will go for the gag, and the joke wears off very, very quickly.
Will there ever be more French and Saunders?
WE NEVER close the door on French and Saunders. We can’t bear the thought to close the door on it. There are no immediate plans, I would say. That’s because ‘Fatty’ and I both are very booked up this year, and even into next year, so I can’t see the window of opportunity, but the minute there is one, we’ll be in there thinking of something.
Little Big Shots can be seen on ITV at 7pm tomorrow.