List of French and Saunders episodes

Last updated

The following is a list of episodes of the British sketch comedy series French and Saunders , which was first broadcast on BBC Two on 9 March 1987. The series, written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, lasted for six series and nine specials, airing a total of 48 episodes between 1987 and 2005. Several compilation episodes were also broadcast: the 1995 two-part special, "French and Saunders Go To the Movies"; the six-part 2007 series, "A Bucket o' French and Saunders", which marked the 20th anniversary of the series; [1] and "300 Years of French and Saunders", which was screened on 25 December 2017 to mark the 30th anniversary of the series. [2]

Contents

Series overview

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast airedNetwork
1 69 March 1987 (1987-03-09)13 April 1987 (1987-04-13) BBC Two
2 64 March 1988 (1988-03-04)15 April 1988 (1988-04-15)
Special 28 December 1988 (1988-12-28)
3 715 March 1990 (1990-03-15)26 April 1990 (1990-04-26)
4 718 February 1993 (1993-02-18)1 April 1993 (1993-04-01)
Special 30 December 1994 (1994-12-30) BBC One
5 74 January 1996 (1996-01-04)29 February 1996 (1996-02-29)
Specials 26 December 1998 (1998-12-26)26 December 2003 (2003-12-26)
6 615 October 2004 (2004-10-15)26 November 2004 (2004-11-26)
Special 27 December 2005 (2005-12-27)

Episodes

Series 1 (1987)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title [3] Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Beauty and the Beast" Geoff Posner Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders 9 March 1987 (1987-03-09)

Unpaid intern Dawn plots to seize the limelight. In sketches, Steve Rider has the latest in the Sports Report, and Dawn's A-ha pencil case has been stolen at school.
Guest star: Steve Rider

Musical guest: Alison Moyet performing "Ordinary Girl"
22"Tricks"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders16 March 1987 (1987-03-16)

Jennifer tries to carry off a series of circus tricks to no avail. Sketches include parodies of Multi-Coloured Swap Shop and The Bangles, and the first appearance of the extras.

Guest star: Roy Castle
33"Julie Walters"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders23 March 1987 (1987-03-23)

Jennifer mistakes the week's special guest, Julie T. Wallace, for Julie Walters. Sketches include the first appearance of the dirty old men.

Guest stars: Sharron Davies, Allan Hargreaves, Julie T. Wallace
44"Ratings"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders30 March 1987 (1987-03-30)

With poor ratings threatening their show, Dawn and Jennifer resort to extreme measures and hunt down BBC controller Michael Grade. Sketches include the Menopazzi Sisters and a parody of police procedurals.

Guest star: Michael Grade
55"Blue Peter"Geoff PosnerDawn French, Jennifer Saunders6 April 1987 (1987-04-06)

Madame and the Hot Hoofers walk out on the show, forcing Dawn, Jennifer, and Raw Sex to broadcast from the Blue Peter studio. Sketches include a fashion show, and schoolgirls discussing menstruation.
Guest stars: Pamela Armstrong, Harry Enfield, Rik Mayall

Musical guest: Jools Holland
66"Killing Time"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders13 April 1987 (1987-04-13)

The curtains come down on the first series of French and Saunders' spoof entertainment show with special guest Joan Armatrading.
Guest star: Harriet Thorpe

Musical guest: Joan Armatrading performing "Killing Time"

Series 2 (1988)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title [3] Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
71"Decades"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders4 March 1988 (1988-03-04)

Dawn is handing out some muddled contraceptive advice to Jennifer.
Guest star: Joan Bakewell

Musical guests: Squeeze performing "853-5937"
82"Cable TV"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders11 March 1988 (1988-03-11)

The Fat Men get somewhat over-excited while watching the Miss World contest on TV, and there's a sparse audience at a Kilroy spoof.
Guest star: Steve O'Donnell

Musical guest: Toyah performing "Because the Night"
93"Removals"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders18 March 1988 (1988-03-18)

Jen and Dawn operate a moving company; a rather senile Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers pay tribute to Fred Astaire.
Guest star: Helen Lederer, Mavis Nicholson

Musical guest: Kirsty MacColl performing "Trains and Boats and Planes"
104"Languages"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders25 March 1988 (1988-03-25)

Dawn and Jennifer attempt to learn new languages, and launch a London tour with Raw Sex; schoolgirls take a field trip; a parody of the Pet Shop Boys; Pear Tree Farm supplies a poorly trained cat for a cat food advert.

Guest star: Ben Elton
115"Potholing"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders8 April 1988 (1988-04-08)

Dawn and Jennifer undertake a Journey to the Center of the Earth -style exploration of a cave. Other sketches include inactive teenage athletes, a woman who claims to be Elvis' ex-mistress, and a neurotic housewife.
Guest stars: Stephanie Beacham, Adrian Edmondson, Lenny Henry

Musical guests: The Proclaimers performing "Make My Heart Fly"
126"Nose"Kevin BishopDawn French, Jennifer Saunders15 April 1988 (1988-04-15)

Jennifer visits Dr. French for a nose job. Other sketches include a parody of Jane Seymour, the extras meeting June Whitfield, and a string of Hollywood parodies.
Guest stars: Robbie Coltrane, June Whitfield
Musical guest: Lulu performing "The Man Who Sold the World"

Additional music: Raw Sex performing "Mambo Italiano"; French and Saunders performing "The Way We Were"

Christmas Special (1988)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
13"Christmas Special" Geoff Posner, Bob Spiers Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders28 December 1988 (1988-12-28)

Parodies of Christmas movies, hair gel ads, and Bananarama.
Guest stars: Kathy Burke, Kevin Godley, Harriet Thorpe, Paula Yates

Musical guest: Alison Moyet performing "Ding Dong Merrily on High"

Series 3 (1990)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title [4] Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
141"The Sound of Music" Bob Spiers Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders15 March 1990 (1990-03-15)

The hills are alive with the sound of French and Saunders as Dawn and Jennifer parody The Sound of Music . Other sketches include parodies of ABBA and Sonia, and the first appearance of Pear Tree Farm.
Guest stars: Jerry Hall, Marie Helvin

Musical guest: Kirsty MacColl performing "Fifteen Minutes"
152"Whatever Happened to Baby Dawn?"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders22 March 1990 (1990-03-22)

Dawn and Jennifer take on the lead roles of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Other sketches include a parody of Bros and two hapless magazine editors.
Guest stars: Mac McDonald, Gareth Snook

Musical guests: Kirsty MacColl and Raw Sex performing "Somethin' Stupid"
163"The Exorcist"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders29 March 1990 (1990-03-29)

Parodies of The Exorcist and Watchdog ; aspiring female rappers; and a publisher and author's lunch meeting.
Guest stars: Kathy Burke, Stuart Fell, Maggie Philbin, Lynn Faulds Wood

Musical guest: Kirsty MacColl performing "Ride"
184 [5] "Gone with the Wind"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders12 April 1990 (1990-04-12)

French and Saunders have Gone with the Wind with Jennifer as Scarlett and Dawn as Mammy.

Musical guest: Kirsty MacColl performing "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"
175 [6] "Dangerous Liaisons"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders5 April 1990 (1990-04-05)

Parodies of Dangerous Liaisons , Birds of a Feather , Tanita Tikaram, and The Factory.

Guest stars: Kevin Allen, Joan Bakewell, Eleanor Bron, Nigel Planer, Harriet Thorpe
196"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders19 April 1990 (1990-04-19)

Parodies of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and American stand-up comedians; Ken and Duane imagine suing the publisher of an "easy" sheet music book; and "Modern Mother and Daughter", the basis for Absolutely Fabulous .
Guest stars: David Gilmour, Mark King, Mark Knopfler, Lemmy, Ralph McTell, Gary Moore, Harriet Thorpe

Musical guest: Kirsty MacColl performing "Still Life"
207"Casting Agency" [3] Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Richard Curtis 26 April 1990 (1990-04-26)

Dawn and Jennifer start a casting agency but manage to insult all of their clients.
Guest stars: Kevin Allen, Jane Asher, Patrick Barlow, Carl Davis

Musical guest: Sarah Walker performing "I Should Be So Lucky"

Series 4 (1993)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title [4] Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
211"Misery" Bob Spiers Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders18 February 1993 (1993-02-18)
Featuring a memorable reenactment of the film Misery and an exclusive performance by Dickens' Daughters.
222"Silence of the Lambs"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders25 February 1993 (1993-02-25)

Parodies of The Silence of the Lambs , The Mamas and the Papas, and Jackie and Joan Collins.

Guest stars: Kevin Allen, Christopher Biggins, Bernie Clifton, Roy Hudd, The Krankies, Mavis Nicholson, Jonathan Ross
233"The Seventh Seal"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders4 March 1993 (1993-03-04)
The duo pay homage to Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman and rock band Guns N' Roses.
244"In Bed with French and Saunders"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders11 March 1993 (1993-03-11)

In Bed with French and Saunders reveals what goes on backstage for two familiar Madonnas. In other sketches, the duo discuss Jerry Hall, examine mail-order catalogues, and parody Fleetwood Mac.

Guest star: Jane Asher
255"Aliens"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders18 March 1993 (1993-03-18)

Parodies of Alien , Mary Hopkin, and Dana; a look at Elizabethan England; and a teenage equestrian.

Guest stars: Kevin Allen, Kathy Burke
266"The House of Idiot"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders25 March 1993 (1993-03-25)

Parodies of The House of Eliott , Pan's People, and Gladiators , and a teenager setting out to circumnavigate the world.

Guest stars: Patrick Barlow, Kathy Burke, Stella Gonet, Louise Lombard, Cathy Murphy, Harriet Thorpe
277"Thelma and Louise"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders1 April 1993 (1993-04-01)

Dawn and Jennifer's parody of Thelma & Louise becomes all too real. In other sketches, Jennifer learns her lines for a Merchant Ivory film audition, and Darcey Bussell replaces Dawn in Jennifer's new ballet.

Guest stars: Darcey Bussell, Anthony Dowell

Christmas Special (1994)

With this episode, French and Saunders moves from BBC Two to BBC One.

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
28"French and Saunders' Christmas Carol"Bob SpiersDawn French, Jennifer Saunders30 December 1994 (1994-12-30)

Spoofs of Charles Dickens novels and The Piano .
Guest stars: Richard Briers, Kathy Burke, Adrian Edmondson, Geraldine McEwan, Chris Ryan, Harriet Thorpe

Musical guest: Anita Harris performing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"

Series 5 (1996)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title [4] Directed byWritten byOriginal air date
291"Baywatch"John BirkinDawn French, Jennifer Saunders4 January 1996 (1996-01-04)

Spoofs of Baywatch , Lynda La Plante's crime dramas, and Disney's Pocahontas ; two flamboyantly gay stylists get the chance to work with Dusty Springfield.

Guest stars: Kevin Allen, Patrick Barlow, Lynda La Plante, Janet McTeer, Helen Mirren, Ann Mitchell, Julia Sawalha, Mossie Smith, Dusty Springfield
302"Loveheart"John BirkinDawn French, Jennifer Saunders11 January 1996 (1996-01-11)

Jennifer and Dawn star with Mel and Sue and Patsy Kensit in a parody of Braveheart . Other sketches include spoofs of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Björk, young chavs experimenting with drugs, and British expatriates in the Emirates.

Guest stars: Kevin Allen, Patrick Barlow, Mel Giedroyc, Muriel Gray, Patsy Kensit, Sue Perkins
313"Franco e Sandro"John BirkinDawn French, Jennifer Saunders18 January 1996 (1996-01-18)

Parodies of Federico Fellini's movies, Noel's House Party , The Cranberries, and Sinéad O'Connor.

Guest stars: Sue Barker, Mel Giedroyc, Felicity Kendal, Kate Moss, Sue Perkins
324"Batman"John BirkinDawn French, Jennifer Saunders25 January 1996 (1996-01-25)

Parodies of Batman Forever and the '60s TV series; Dawn has a Sophia Loren day; another look at Elizabethan times; the stylists return with Kate Moss; and neurotic mothers oversee a playdate.

Guest stars: Patrick Barlow, Patsy Kensit, The Krankies, Kate Moss
335"Pulp Fiction"John BirkinDawn French, Jennifer Saunders,1 February 1996 (1996-02-01)

Dawn and Jen are hired to guard Lulu in a Pulp Fiction spoof. Other sketches include a parody of Céline Dion, oneupsmanship in a doctor's waiting room, and public schoolgirls out of their element as they interview Clare Francis.

Guest stars: Clare Francis, Lulu, Kate Moss
346"Pride and Prejudice"John BirkinDawn French, Jennifer Saunders8 February 1996 (1996-02-08)

A parody of The Quick and the Dead ; Court TV airs a legal spin on Star Trek ; and Gary Waldhorn stars in a new Jane Austen adaptation.

Guest stars: Kevin Allen, Patrick Barlow, Sean Chapman, Lisa Coleman, Mel Giedroyc, Lenny Henry, Rosemary Leach, Sue Perkins, Clarke Peters, Gary Waldhorn
357"Dr. Quimn, Mad Woman"John BirkinDawn French, Jennifer Saunders29 February 1996 (1996-02-29)

A spoof of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman ; TV films about Ken & Em and David & Claudia; the chavs recount a rave; and art gallery owners prepare for an exhibition.

Guest stars: Mel Giedroyc, Patsy Kensit, Kate Moss, Sue Perkins, Michael Praed

Specials (1998–2003)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [7]
36"The Making of the Filming of the Making of Titanic" Edgar Wright Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders26 December 1998 (1998-12-26)10.30

A parody of Titanic and making-of specials, accompanied by spoofs of high-concept game shows and The Corrs.

Guest stars: Adrian Edmondson, Helen Lederer, Joanna Lumley, Spice Girls, Maggie Steed, Harriet Thorpe, Gary Waldhorn
37"Witless Silence" Steve Bendelack Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders2 May 1999 (1999-05-02)<6.11

A Bank Holiday special features an acting masterclass and a murder investigation, Witless Silence .

Guest stars: Kathy Burke, William Franklyn, Helen Mirren, Robert Pugh, David Vine
38"French and Saunders: The Phantom Millennium"Dominic Brigstocke, Steve BendelackDawn French, Jennifer Saunders28 December 1999 (1999-12-28)8.10
Dawn and Jennifer take on Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , Martine McCutcheon, Diana Ross, and Melanie C.
39"The Egg" [4] Ed Bye Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders29 March 2002 (2002-03-29)6.05
Dawn and Jennifer star in their own version of The Lord of the Rings , in which they search for an Oscar. Also features parodies of Bono and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
40"Celebrity Christmas Puddings" Tristram Shapeero Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders25 December 2002 (2002-12-25)8.02
Dawn and Jennifer house-sit for Richard and Judy and offer new angles on Monarch of the Glen and Tipping the Velvet .
41"French and Saunders Actually" [4] Nick WoodDawn French, Jennifer Saunders26 December 2003 (2003-12-26)<5.88

Parodies of The White Stripes, Madonna, and Rosemary & Thyme , and a Christmas message from Catherine Zeta-Jones. (The title references Love Actually, but it is not parodied in the special.)

Guest stars: Pam Ferris, Felicity Kendal, John Nettles, Lesley Vickerage, Alan Yentob

Series 6 (2004)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title [3] Directed byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [7]
421"Back at the BBC" Ed Bye Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders15 October 2004 (2004-10-15)6.42

Dawn and Jennifer meet their new producer, Liza Tarbuck, and sign a contract, unknowingly locking themselves into a six-part series deal. Sketches include cam girls Jodie & Jordan discussing mortgages, and Nicole Kidman's audio commentary for Cold Turkey .

Guest stars: Brenda Cowling, Darren Day, Eileen Essell, Maggie Steed
432"Three-Letter Words"Ed ByeDawn French, Jennifer Saunders22 October 2004 (2004-10-22)5.54

Dawn tries to find the perfect chocolate lime; the two discuss the prevalence of online porn; Eve Pollard arrives as the BBC's new Director General; Pear Tree Farm is forced to diversify their business; Catherine Zeta-Jones discusses fashion; a parody of Cher.

Guest stars: Brenda Cowling, Eileen Essell, Eve Pollard
443"The Queen"Ed ByeDawn French, Jennifer Saunders29 October 2004 (2004-10-29)<4.70

Liza pushes Jen and Dawn to finish their first script, while Jen prepares for an award at the palace, and Dawn is distressed by both her lack of award and Mark Lamarr's rudeness. Sketches include parodies of Kill Bill and Most Haunted , Catherine Zeta-Jones on crowns, and the stylists assisting Sandro Botticelli.

Guest stars: Brenda Cowling, Eileen Essell, Mark Lamarr
454"Offers"Ed ByeDawn French, Jennifer Saunders5 November 2004 (2004-11-05)<5.00

Dawn, Jennifer, and Liza pitch their ideas for new shows during the BBC's internal "offers" process, including a modernized version of Shakespeare's King Lear . Other sketches include Madonna's new children's book, Jodie and Jordan on eyeglasses, and the stylists assisting Édouard Manet.

Guest stars: Basil Brush, Michelle Collins, Brian Cox, Brenda Cowling, Roger Griffiths, Amanda Holden, Derren Litten, Matt Lucas, Denise Van Outen, David Walliams, Ruby Wax, Marc Wootton
465"Minutes"Ed ByeDawn French, Jennifer Saunders12 November 2004 (2004-11-12)<4.83

Dawn and Jennifer struggle to demonstrate how much writing they've finished. Sketches include a spoof of Edward Scissorhands , Jodie and Jordan on peeling potatoes, British expatriates discussing Indonesia, Catherine Zeta-Jones on roundabouts, the making of Troy , and Dawn's fantasy of singing with Anastacia.

Guest stars: Anastacia, Brenda Cowling, Eileen Essell, Tim Wylton
476"After Show Party"Ed ByeDawn French, Jennifer Saunders26 November 2004 (2004-11-26)<4.40

Episode one of the new series starts filming. Dawn and Jennifer delay production, through a combination of laziness and constantly getting lost, but meet with an allegedly ill teenager and his mother. Sketches include retirees who move to Florida, Dawn babysitting for a giant, and Chris Martin's mum.

Guest stars: Pauline McLynn, Maggie Steed

Christmas Special (2005)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [7]
48"Christmas Celebrity Special" Ed Bye Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders27 December 2005 (2005-12-27)6.06

Dr. Tanya Byron attempts to rope in the increasingly "childish" Dawn and Jennifer. Features parodies of Vera Drake and Elton John.

Guest stars: Kacey Ainsworth, Tanya Byron, John Humphrys, Janette Krankie, Sally Phillips, Shane Richie, Rufus Wainwright, Jessie Wallace

Compilation specials

French and Saunders Go to the Movies (1995)

TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
"French and Saunders Go to the Movies (Part 1)"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders31 March 1995 (1995-03-31)
"French and Saunders Go to the Movies (Part 2)"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders7 June 1995 (1995-06-07)

Music Specials (2005)

TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [7]
"I Can't Believe It's Music"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders1 April 2005 (2005-04-01)4.36
First part of the compilation of music parody performances seen through the series. Featuring an ABBA spoof, C'est la vie, and The White Stripes.
"I Can't Believe It's Not Music"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders7 April 2005 (2005-04-07)<4.77
Part two of the compilation of music parody performances seen through the series. Featuring parodies of Alanis Morissette, The Bangles, Boyzone, and Guns N' Roses.

A Bucket o' French and Saunders (2007)

A Bucket O' French and Saunders [1] was shown from 7 September till 5 October (the sixth episode not being shown). The series was shown as a retrospective, showing 20 years of the French and Saunders sketch show. The older material was interspersed with new sketches, which had been recorded in June 2007 at BBC Television Centre. New material included parodies of America's Next Top Model , The Apprentice , Gordon Ramsay's The F-Word , The Academy Awards (featuring a cameo appearance by Dame Helen Mirren), X Factor , Big Brother , Fame Academy and a parody of disgraced celebrities Amy Winehouse and Britney Spears.

TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [7]
"Episode 1"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders7 September 2007 (2007-09-07)4.07

Episode 1 sees the return of the hapless documentary presenter (Joanna Lumley), introducing the sketches.

Old Material: Who Is It?/Dawn's Entrances, The Two Fat Men, ABBA (C'est La Vie), 60s Dance, Marilyn and Jane, The Exorcist, The Extras, Britney & Madonna (Remixed), Titanic, Dawn at the Doctor, F&S Teenagers, Music montage of old clips to The Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps".

New Material:The F-Word featuring Jemima, Humpty Dumpty and Little Ted.
"Episode 2"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders14 September 2007 (2007-09-14)4.11

Old Material:French and Saunders "get" a BAFTA, The Menopatsy Sisters, F&S Dancing, Cassie's Dance Audition (featuring Harriet Thorpe), Jen's Reactions to Dawn, Generation Gap (featuring Julia Sawalha, Presenters Academy (featuring Davina McCall, Dana and Mary Hopkin, Dickens' Daughter, The Mamas & the Papas, George Michael and Boy George, Florida Retirees, The Sound of Music, Music montage of old clips to Arctic Monkeys' "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor".

New Material:The French and Saunders Academy Awards featuring Dame Helen Mirren
"Episode 3"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders21 September 2007 (2007-09-21)<3.87

Old Material: Alien, Gone with the Wind, Cold Turkey, Loveheart, Look at my baby!, Poo Stripes, BoyZone, Aimless Morris-Minor, Chris Martin's Mother/"Apple", West Country Maids, Silence of the Lambs, Women's Programming, Lucky Bitches, 20's Dance, 90's Dance, Music montage of old clips to Gorillaz "Feel Good Inc.".

New Material:Jennifer's "Reality TV Tour" featuring Dawn as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Alan Sugar, Tyra Banks and Simon Cowell
"Episode 4"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders28 September 2007 (2007-09-28)<3.99

Old Material: Dawn's entrance, Bros Star Test, Insane Housewife "Nibbles" (featuring Lenny Henry and Adrian Edmondson), The Extra's at the Tate Modern, Witless Silence, Batman (featuring Patsy Kensit), Star Wars , The Two Fat Women, Jackie and Brigitte (featuring Tanya Byron), Elton John with Kiki Dee, Music montage of old clips to Basement Jaxx' "Where's Your Head At?", Montage to Just Jack's Stars in Their Eyes .

New Material:Dawn the Meter Checker, Amy Winehouse and Britney Spears
"Episode 5"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders5 October 2007 (2007-10-05)<3.91

Old Material: Lananeeneenoonoo, Catherine Zeta-Spartacus-Jones "President" and "Pregnant", Hurrah for Hollywood, Horse Riding, Kill Bill, Dot and May, Pulp Fiction, Thelma & Louise, Music montage of old clips to Lulu's "Shout", Montage on 20 years of "F&S" set to Dawn and Jennifer's rendition of Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were".

New Material: Location, Relocation, Property Under the Sun featuring Kirstie Allsopp and Big Brother in the French and Saunders House
"Episode 6"TBDDawn French, Jennifer SaundersSee episode 5 (See episode 5)See episode 5
Due to low ratings, the run was shortened and episodes five and six were edited down together into one show, so this scheduled broadcast was cancelled. Surprisingly, none of the leftover new material (including a Doctor Who parody, their second spoof of the show and also their second never to air) made it into the following Christmas special. [ citation needed ]
"Episode 7"UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders24 December 2007 (2007-12-24)<5.40

Old Material: Dawn Modelling with Kate Moss, The Two Fat Men at Christmas, The Two Fat Women at Christmas, 'Don't Sit There!', La Belle Dame Sans Chapeau (with Darcey Bussell), Whatever Happened to Baby Dawn?, The Chamber Maids, F&S at Richard and Judy's House, Ding Dong Merrily on High (with Alison Moyet), Prosthetics with F&S, Computer Troubles, Cher, Ride with F&S, Imagine: Parkour (with Alan Yentob), Catherine Zeta-Spartacus-Douglas-Jones' Christmas Message, 1920's Dance, F&S in Prison, Christmas in the White Room, The Opera Divas (featuring Sarah Walker), Montage of old clips to Shirley Bassey and The Propellerheads, "History Repeating".

New Material:White Room: Still Can't Get In to the BBC

300 Years of French and Saunders (2017)

TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [7]
"300 Years of French and Saunders [2] "UnknownDawn French, Jennifer Saunders25 December 2017 (2017-12-25)4.66
A special thirtieth-anniversary clip show bursting with brand new material, greatest hits, hilarious rarities and even some never-before-seen footage. Reuniting for their first TV show together in ten years. With special appearances from Joanna Lumley, Lulu and one of the presenters from Spotlight South West.

Other appearances

Comic Relief

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Absolutely Fabulous is a British television sitcom based on the French and Saunders sketch, "Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The show was created and written by Saunders, who also stars as one of the main characters with Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha.

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Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English actress, comedian, and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with her best friend and comedy partner, Dawn French. With French, she co-wrote and starred in their eponymous sketch show, French and Saunders, for which they jointly received a BAFTA Fellowship in 2009. Saunders later received acclaim in the 1990s for writing and playing her character Edina Monsoon in her sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

<i>French and Saunders</i> Television series

French and Saunders is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders that originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1987 to 1993, and later on BBC One until 2017. It is also the name by which the performers are known on the occasions when they appear elsewhere as a double act. The show was given one of the highest budgets in BBC history to create detailed spoofs and satires of popular culture, movies, celebrities, and art. French and Saunders continued to film holiday specials for the BBC, and both have been individually successful starring in other shows.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawn French</span> British actress, comedian and writer (born 1957)

Dawn Roma French is a British actress, comedian, and writer. She is known for writing and starring on the BBC sketch comedy series French and Saunders (1987–2007) with her best friend and comedy partner Jennifer Saunders, and playing the lead role of Geraldine Granger in the BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley (1994–2020). French has been nominated for seven BAFTA TV Awards and won a BAFTA Fellowship with Saunders in 2009.

<i>Little Britain</i> (TV series) British character-based sketch comedy

Little Britain is a British sketch comedy series that began as a radio show in 2000 and ran as a television series between 2003 and 2006. It was written and performed by David Walliams and Matt Lucas. Financed by the BBC, the radio series was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, with the initial two television series premiering on BBC Three and the third and final series on BBC One.

<i>The Vicar of Dibley</i> British TV sitcom (1994–2007)

The Vicar of Dibley is a British sitcom. It consists of three series, which aired on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2000, and several specials, the most recent of which aired on 23 December 2020. It is set in the fictional Oxfordshire village of Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1993 changes in the Church of England that permitted the ordination of women. Dawn French plays the lead role of vicar Geraldine Granger.

Robert Alexander Spiers was a Scottish television comedy director and producer. He worked on many sitcoms and won two British Academy Television Awards for Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous. He also directed the film Spice World (1997).

Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke is an English actress. She appeared in sketch shows such as French and Saunders (1988–1999), played a recurring role as Magda on the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012), and performed frequent collaborations with fellow comedian Harry Enfield. From 1999 to 2001, she starred as Linda La Hughes on the BBC sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme, for which she received a British Comedy Award and two BAFTA nominations.

Jacquie O'Sullivan is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group Bananarama from 1988 until 1991, replacing Siobhan Fahey, who left in early 1988. The line-up with O'Sullivan had UK top five hits with "I Want You Back" (1988) and a cover of The Beatles' "Help!" (1989), recorded with comedy duo French and Saunders for the charity Comic Relief. In 1989, O'Sullivan joined the group on their first world tour. Prior to Bananarama, O'Sullivan was the lead singer of the band Shillelagh Sisters.

Rowland John Rivron is a British writer, comedic actor and television personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help! (song)</span> 1965 single by the Beatles

"Help!" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that served as the title song for the 1965 film and its soundtrack. It was released as a single in July 1965, and was number one for three weeks in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Derren Ronald Litten is an English comedy writer and actor, best known as the creator and writer of the sitcom Benidorm. Litten also co-wrote The Catherine Tate Show, for which he both wrote and appeared as several different characters in the first two series and the 2005 Christmas Special. He has also acted in many comedy and drama series including Perfect World, French and Saunders, Spaced, EastEnders, Coronation Street, and Pie in the Sky with Richard Griffiths. Litten's first sitcom was Benidorm, which began airing on ITV in 2007. The series follows various groups of holiday makers and staff in the all-inclusive Solana resort located in Benidorm. The series received strong ratings and later extended its runtime, running for 10 series ending in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miranda Hart</span> English comedian

Miranda Katherine Hart Dyke is an English actress, comedian and writer. Following drama training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Hart began writing material for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and making appearances in BBC sitcoms, including Hyperdrive (2006–2007) and Not Going Out (2006–2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Edmondson</span> English actor, comedian, musician and writer (born 1957)

Adrian Charles Edmondson is an English actor, comedian, musician, writer and television presenter. He was part of the alternative comedy boom in the early 1980s and had roles in the television series The Young Ones (1982–1984) and Bottom (1991–1995), which he wrote together with his collaborator Rik Mayall. Edmondson also appeared in The Comic Strip Presents... series of films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. For two episodes of this he created the spoof heavy metal band Bad News, and for another he played his nihilistic alter-ego Eddie Monsoon, an offensive South African television star.

References

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  2. 1 2 Moreland, Alex "300 Years Of French And Saunders: Everything you need to know". Metro. 19 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "British Comedy: French & Saunders". listal.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "BBC One: French & Saunders: Episodes". BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  5. "BBC One - French and Saunders, Series 3, Gone with the Wind".
  6. "BBC One - French and Saunders, Series 3, Dangerous Liaisons".
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Weekly top 30 programmes". BARB . Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  8. "The Storyteller - Straggletag aka Sapsorrow". YouTube. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
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  10. "Bananarama & Lananeeneenoonoo - Help! Live On Red Nose Day 1989 Comic Relief". YouTube. 25 March 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  11. "Comic Relief 1991". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  12. "Comic Relief 1993". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  13. "Comic Relief 1995". British Comedy Guide . Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  14. "Comic Relief 1997". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  15. "Spice Girls - Who Do You Think You Are(Comic Relief Version)". YouTube. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
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  17. "Comic Relief - Funny for Money (2009)". Comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  18. Walford, Jessica "Comic Relief 2017: French and Saunders took on Skepta in their own Carpool Karaoke". Metro. 25 March 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.