| Can You Keep a Secret? | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Screenplay by | Simon Mayhew-Archer |
| Directed by | Simon Hynd |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One |
| Release | 7 January 2026 – present |
Can You Keep a Secret? is a British television sitcom written by Simon Mayhew-Archer and starring Dawn French and Mark Heap. The series was first broadcast on 7 January 2026 on BBC One, with all episodes made available on BBC iPlayer the same day.
A retired couple, Debbie and William Fendon, living in the West Country of England are presented with a unique criminal opportunity to claim life insurance when William is mistakenly declared to have died. Their son Harry is caught up in the drama, [1] trying to hide the secret from his wife Neha, who is a local police officer. [2] . The story revolves around the Fendons’ attempts to figure out and stop who is blackmailing them for the money whilst hiding William, who has Parkinson’s Disease, from the public.
The premise is loosely based on the real-life John Darwin disappearance case. [3]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | UK viewers (millions) [4] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Simon Hynd | Simon Mayhew-Archer | 7 January 2026 | TBD | |
Debbie drops a bombshell when she reveals that Harry’s father William is not actually dead, but has been secretly hiding in the attic. Harry is faced with a moral dilemma, join the conspiracy or expose the truth. | ||||||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Simon Hynd | Simon Mayhew-Archer | 14 January 2026 | TBD | |
Debbie instructs Harry to keep their secret from Neha. However, the scheme faces complications when someone learns about William's existence and demands a share of the insurance money. | ||||||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Simon Hynd | Simon Mayhew-Archer | 21 January 2026 | TBD | |
Tensions rise as Debbie and Neha clash over whether to return the insurance money, leaving William and Harry caught in the middle. Meanwhile, the threat of a blackmailer still looms, putting the entire scheme at risk. | ||||||
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Simon Hynd | Simon Mayhew-Archer | 28 January 2026 | TBD | |
While Neha and Debbie hunt the blackmailer, Harry and William juggle childcare. But with secrets at stake, Neha may have to fight dirty to protect the truth. | ||||||
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Simon Hynd | Simon Mayhew-Archer | 4 February 2026 | TBD | |
William has run out of medication forcing him and Neha to visit a drug dealer for help. Meanwhile, Debbie hatches a plan to protect the family just as new threats begin to close in. | ||||||
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Simon Hynd | Simon Mayhew-Archer | 11 February 2026 | TBD | |
The blackmailer places William and Harry in danger as Debbie considers handing herself in for her crimes. | ||||||
The six-part series is created by Simon Mayhew-Archer and directed by Simon Hynd. [5] The series is produced by CBS Studios, Mayhay Studios, and Big Talk Productions. Executive producers are Kenton Allen and Mayhew-Archer and the producers are Lauriel Martin and Joe Scantlebury. [6] Toby Welch joined the project as an executive producer in January 2025. [7]
Mark Heap and Dawn French were announced to be leading the cast in August 2024. [8] The cast also includes Craig Roberts and Mandip Gill. [9]
Filming began in the West Country in March 2025. [10] [11] Filming locations included Axbridge, Winscombe and Cheddar, Somerset. [12]
The Guardian gave the series a positive review, with Lucy Mangan saying it has "charm, wit and warmth enough to work as soothing balm rather than riotously fun fare" [2] while the Daily Telegraph said it was French's best work since The Vicar of Dibley . [13] The Irish Times also gave a positive review, particularly pointing out French and Heap's characters. [14]
