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Dawn French attending a press event© REX

Dawn French makes rare comment about daughter in frank admission

The Vicar of Dibley actress spoke to Radio X DJ Chris Moyles

Phoebe Tatham
Content Writer
October 11, 2023
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Beloved comedienne Dawn French has made a very rare comment about her daughter.

During an appearance on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, Dawn, 66, spoke about the dangers of pretending to be perfect and why it's important to embrace flaws.

Dawn starred on The Chris Moyles show© Getty
Dawn starred on The Chris Moyles show

"Nobody's perfect are they, I don't know why we tried to pretend to be…, we all know that we can't achieve it but we somehow try to live to be perfect and then we feel like we failed and I've gotten to the age now where I just think I can't do that and actually I didn't desire to do it," she candidly revealed.

She went on to say: "Don't you love your mates the most who come to you and say, 'I did this dreadful thing yesterday, I told so and so such a thing and I said…' whatever faux pas it is? I love people who tell me that stuff, flawed people owning their flaws is my favourite, that's how you connect with people."

Dawn French with her ex-husband Lenny Henry© Getty
Dawn shares Billie with her ex-husband Lenny Henry

Elsewhere, Dawn briefly spoke about her daughter, presumably her eldest daughter Billie, and how she doesn't want her loved one to be influenced by social media filters.

Opening up, she said: "I'm not into filters and perfect. and I don't want my daughter to feel like she has to be like that, either. So, the minute I started thinking about all the mistakes I've made and all the stupid times I have been what you call a twit that I thought, 'Oh, there's a tsunami of it,' I am mainly made of it.'"

The 66-year-old shares daughter Billie, 32, with her ex-husband Lenny Henry. The couple adopted Billie when she was just two weeks old. In an interview with HELLO! in October 2021, the actress spoke about their unbreakable bond. "My biggest test and my biggest joy," she said of her child.

Dawn French© Getty Images
The comedian is also a doting stepmother to her husband Mark's two children

"But it is unbreakable. We have the same amount of mother/daughter friction that any mum and daughter have, it's no more or less. But I've learnt a lot about her. And she's learnt a lot about me."

Meanwhile, during a frank conversation with the Sunday Telegraph, Dawn said: "I had grief for a while. I did have miscarriages, so I've had grief about that as well.

dawn french in black dress on blue sofa © Shutterstock
Dawn is best known for her appearance on The Vicar of Dibley

"But the minute Billie arrived that was it for me. She fills everything I needed to be as a mother."

Confirming their split at the time, the former couple released a statement which read: "The separation is entirely amicable and they fully intend to maintain their close friendship. Their priority is to commit to the future joint parenting of their daughter."

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Aside from Billie, The Vicar of Dibley star is also a doting stepmother to her husband Mark Bignell's two children. The happy couple, who tied the knot in 2013, have since purchased a gorgeous home in Cornwall which they snapped up for £1.7 million according to land Registry documents.

The new five-bedroom house comes after Dawn sold her previous home in Fowey for a dazzling £6.6 million.

WATCH: The Vicar of Dibley actress shares glimpse of gorgeous garden

Their stunning property is a beautiful coastal haven complete with a gorgeous writing room. The pink room features a dramatic chandelier, breathtaking bay windows, and rustic, exposed floorboards.

Outside, the couple have a sprawling garden complete with a floor-to-ceiling greenhouse bursting with colourful geraniums and ornate pottery.

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