Comedy icon Dawn French, 68, lives in a stunning Cornish home with husband Mark Bignell, and she occasionally shares updates from inside on her Instagram feed. But her childhood was a little more unsettled; the star called several places home due
The Vicar of Dibley actress was born in 1957 in Holyhead, Wales. At the time, her father Denys was stationed there because of his corporal technician role in the RAF. The Guardian reports that the family relocated around every 18 months or so, changing bases, many of them being in Cornwall. At the age of 12, Dawn and her brother Gary were sent away to boarding school in Plymouth. Dawn has since said she didn't feel like she fitted in there as it was "posh".
© Dave BenettFast-forward to her attending Central School of Speech and Drama in London, where she met the legendary Jennifer Saunders, and Dawn began finding her way in the world. They shared a flat whilst at college and became inseparable both on and off screen.
© Alan Spencer Photography / Alamy Stock PhotoInside Dawn's gorgeous home in Cornwall
After living in London for many years for work, in 2006 Dawn took the plunge to retreat back to the coast. Cornwall is fast becoming a hub for A-list celebrities seeking a slice of the UK coastline - it has even been coined Hollywood on Sea with the likes of Cate Blanchett and Jamie Dornan putting down roots there.
Her love for Cornwall may have come from some of her childhood bases, but she also highlighted the weather in an interview with The Evening Standard. When quizzed about where she lives, she said: "Cornwall, on the south coast where the climate is more temperate."
The star had a cliffside property in the popular location of Fowey, but decided to give it up in 2022 after relentless summers of tourists took over. She sold her coastal home for a dazzling £6.6 million, making a hefty £4.3 million profit after she originally purchased it for £2.3 million.
Dawn found a £2 million mansion to move into, elsewhere in Cornwall and we love seeing glimpses of it on her Instagram. The actor's home office is one space we've regularly seen – and it's seriously beautiful! The pink room has high ceilings and incredible arched windows, and Dawn's desk faces out so she can survey the views. The dramatic chandelier-style light and floral armchair are statement pieces, adding to the decadence of the room.
Just like us, fans adore her writing room and when she shared it online the comments included, "What a room," "It's wonderful," and: "Heaven". Celebrity pals even shared their praise for the space with Alexandra Burke adding: "Beautiful," and Tan France commenting: "So, so pretty!!"
The property is located close to where her grown-up daughter Billie lives, whom she shares with her ex-husband and fellow comedian Lenny Henry. Five years after their split, Dawn exclusively told us: "We talk all the time about that. We have a healthy respect for each other, but you have to move into your new lives and you have to have separate stuff.
"That was the hard thing to do – to make sure you move on properly, both of you, and happily. But we care for each other and we are kind to each other."
