Dawn French has teased about the possible return of The Vicar of Dibley. The 58-year-old actress said it would be unlikely the hit sitcom would continue in its original format because some of its characters are now "really old" – but admitted "it could change", the Mirror reports.
Speaking in Australia while promoting her new one-woman stage show Thirty Million Minutes, Dawn said: "You know we now have church law in the UK that women could be bishops, so who knows? Watch this space – she might get a promotion!"
© Photo: Getty ImagesOf the series, she added: "It was incredibly popular in the UK – as it was here, which I'm delighted to know. So you kind of get elevated to a status that you're very lucky and privileged to have." The Vicar of Dibley ran between 1994 and 2007 and was inspired by a change of procedure in the Church of England in 1992 that allowed the ordination of women. It attracted more than 12 million viewers for its final episode in 2007, in which Vicar Geraldine Granger married Harry Kennedy, and Dawn has since reprised the role for three Comic Relief sketches, in 2007, 2013 and 2015.
In last year's one-off skit, viewers saw Geraldine get offered the chance to become a bishop, and it featured cameo appearances from the likes of Emma Watson, Jennifer Saunders and Fiona Bruce. Other stars who have previously made guest appearances include Kylie Minogue, Johnny Depp and Sarah, Duchess of York.
It was the first time that the show had returned without original cast member Roger Lloyd-Pack – Owen Newitt – who passed away from pancreatic cancer in January 2014. The Vicar of Dibley won a number of awards during its original run, including three British Comedy Award and a National Television Award, and was nominated for six BAFTAs.
