The Sugar Lumps

French and Saunders
Company type	Television program
Industry	Television comedy
Founded	1987
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Products	Sketch comedy television series

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article The Sugar Lumps, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 2025

French and Saunders is a British sketch comedy television program created by and starring the comedic duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. It originally aired on BBC2 from 1987 until 1993, then continued on BBC One through to 2017. Renowned as a double act beyond the series itself, they were granted one of the largest production budgets in BBC history to craft intricate spoofs and satirical takes on popular culture, cinema, celebrities, and art. Alongside producing BBC holiday specials, the pair also found individual success in various other television projects.

In a 2005 industry poll titled The Comedian's Comedian, they were ranked among the top 50 comedy acts by their peers. Their final special, French and Saunders Christmas Celebrity Special, was broadcast on 27 December 2005 on BBC One. The following year, they announced the conclusion of their sketch show to focus on projects better suited to their age. Their last joint venture, the Still Alive tour, ran until late 2008 and resumed in Australia during summer 2009. That same year, they were honored with the esteemed BAFTA Fellowship.

Origins (1978–1987)

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders first crossed paths in 1978 while studying drama at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where they began collaborating on comedic endeavors. They rose to prominence in the early 1980s performing at London's The Comedy Store, a venue that helped launch the television series The Comic Strip Presents... and sparked the "alternative comedy" movement. Featured on The Comic Strip live comedy album released in 1981, they appeared in approximately 30 episodes of the show and contributed material.

Carving out a niche within the "underground comedy" scene alongside future collaborators, they starred in Channel 4's The Entertainers in 1983 and provided comic segments on the music program The Tube, where French made British television history for her use of language. In 1985, they co-created and starred with Ruby Wax in Girls on Top, a two-series sitcom about four quirky roommates including Tracey Ullman. By 1986, French and Saunders became regular performers on Comic Relief and secured a long-term contract with the BBC.

French and Saunders (1987–2007)

Their self-titled sketch show debuted in 1987, running for six series plus nine specials until 2005, with compilations airing up to 2017. Initially formatted as a low-budget variety show featuring ambitious but often unsuccessful stunts alongside musical acts such as Raw Sex and The Hot Hoofers troupe, early episodes included guest appearances by Alison Moyet and Joan Armatrading. After the first series, the original show-within-a-show structure was abandoned.

As viewership increased, the BBC shifted the program from BBC2 to BBC1 in 1994 and allocated a larger budget. This financial boost allowed for elaborate parodies of mainstream culture including films like Thelma & Louise, Misery, Titanic, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. They also spoofed music stars such as Madonna, Bananarama, ABBA, and The Corrs. Recurring jokes involved their struggle with accurate accents—first highlighted in a spoof of Gone with the Wind—and meta-humor that engaged audiences by exposing aspects of the parody-making process.

The sixth and final series aired in 2004 revisited metafictional elements by humorously portraying their writing sessions as procrastination that inadvertently generated ideas. It featured Liza Tarbuck playing a fictionalized producer role and Maggie Steed as their agent character inspired by their real-life representative. The show wrapped up with a Christmas special in 2005, followed by the compilation series A Bucket o' French and Saunders in 2007.

In 2008, after filming a sketch with singer Anastacia, which left French feeling "humiliated" due to limited control over her comedic depiction, French and Saunders decided to retire the series permanently.

Post-show activities (2007–present)

During the Christmas season of 2010, French and Saunders appeared in a trio of two-hour radio broadcasts on BBC Radio 2, which were subsequently followed by special episodes aired during Easter and Bank Holidays in 2011.

In 2020, the pair introduced the podcast French & Saunders: Titting About via Audible, presenting informal and nostalgic dialogues on fresh subjects in each installment. Subsequent Series 2 and 3 were released in 2021 and 2022 respectively, with Series 4 debuting in 2023.

In 2021, Gold commissioned a unique special titled French and Saunders: Funny Women, recorded on the original sketch series set. This program included conversations about women’s impact on comedy and was broadcast on Gold on 17 July.

Cast

Along with French and Saunders themselves, the show featured a consistent ensemble selected for their comedic abilities and collaborative spirit.

Although musical elements diminished over time, Raw Sex maintained a regular presence through to series 4. Betty Marsden portrayed Madame, the choreographer, during series one. Singer Kirsty MacColl appeared in series two and three, occasionally accompanied by Raw Sex.

Mel and Sue participated as assistant writers and made appearances in four episodes of series 5. The sixth series revived the show-within-a-show concept from series one, starring Liza Tarbuck as the fictional show’s producer and Lorna Brown as her personal assistant.

Numerous guest performers appeared on the show, including Saunders' co-stars from Absolutely Fabulous—Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, and June Whitfield—with Whitfield appearing three years before Ab Fab premiered. The duo’s husbands—Lenny Henry and Adrian Edmondson—also made appearances, along with producer Jon Plowman in cameo roles. Recurring actors from Ab Fab such as Patrick Barlow, Harriet Thorpe, Helen Lederer, and Kathy Burke featured alongside French's The Vicar of Dibley co-star Gary Waldhorn and regulars from Jam & Jerusalem including Maggie Steed, Rosie Cavaliero, and Pauline McLynn.

Regular

Actor	Role(s)	Series 1	Series 2	Series 3	Series 4
Dawn French	Herself / Various characters	colspan="6" Regular
Jennifer Saunders	Herself / Various characters	colspan="6" Regular
Simon Brint	Ken Bishop / Various roles	colspan="4" Regular	colspan="2" None
Rowland Rivron	Duane Bishop / Various roles	colspan="4" Regular	colspan="2" None
Betty Marsden	Madame (choreographer)	Regular	colspan="5" None
Kirsty MacColl	Herself	None	Guest	Regular	colspan="3" None
Lorna Brown	Abba (PA)	colspan="5" None	Regular
Liza Tarbuck	Liza (producer)	colspan="5" None	Regular

Recurring

Kevin Allen (8 episodes, 1990–1996)
Patrick Barlow (8 episodes, 1990–2003)
Kathy Burke (7 episodes, 1988–1999)
Sean Chapman (3 episodes, 1994–2002)
Sidney Cole (4 episodes, 1993–1995)
Brenda Cowling (5 episodes, 2004)
Adrian Edmondson (4 episodes, 1988–2017)
Eileen Essell (4 episodes, 2004)
Mel Giedroyc (4 episodes, 1996)
Lenny Henry (4 episodes, 1988–1996)
Lulu (3 episodes, 1988–2017)
Patsy Kensit (3 episodes, 1996)
Kate Moss (4 episodes, 1996)
Sue Perkins (4 episodes, 1996)
Maggie Steed (3 episodes, 1998–2004)
Harriet Thorpe (8 episodes, 1987–2003)
Ian Tough (3 episodes, 1993–1996)
Janette Tough (5 episodes, 1993–2005)
Tim Wylton (4 episodes, 1993–2004)
Jon Plowman (3 episodes, 2003–2017) (uncredited)
Keturah Sorrell (5 episodes, 1987) (uncredited)

Episodes

French and Saunders debuted on BBC2 on 9 March 1987, initially presenting six episodes. Its impressive viewership secured a second series in March 1988, accompanied by a Christmas special that same year. Between 1990 and 1996, the third through fifth series each consisted of seven episodes, predominantly featuring parodies of films and music, alongside original sketches such as "Modern Mother and Daughter," which later inspired Saunders' sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. Notable film spoofs included What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, The Exorcist, Misery, The Silence of the Lambs, Thelma & Louise, Pulp Fiction, and Braveheart. Another Christmas special was broadcast in 1994.

In the following years, the show mainly produced Christmas and Easter specials, with the memorable "The Making of Titanic" parody airing in 1998. From 1999 to 2003, five specials lampooned blockbuster movies such as Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and Love Actually. The sixth and final series was released in 2004, followed by a Christmas special in 2005. Altogether, forty-eight episodes were shown between 1987 and 2005.

Starting in 1995, compilation specials highlighted their work; "French and Saunders Go To the Movies" showcased their film parodies. In 2005, two specials—"I Can't Believe it's Music" and "I Can't Believe it's Not Music"—focused on their musical spoofs featuring artists like Alanis Morissette, ABBA, The Corrs, Guns N' Roses, and Björk. To mark the series' twentieth anniversary in 2007, "A Bucket o' French and Saunders" combined fresh content with classic clips but was shortened due to audience feedback. The thirtieth anniversary special, "300 Years of French and Saunders," aired on Christmas Day 2017, mainly consisting of archival footage alongside new parodies of shows such as Gogglebox and Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Live shows

French and Saunders performed live tours sporadically, with UK tours taking place in 1990 and again in 2000. Their final tour commenced at the Blackpool Opera House on 29 February 2008 and concluded in London on 9 November after an Australian leg. This tour blended classic sketches with new material under the direction of Hamish McColl, featuring set design by Lez Brotherstone and lighting, video, plus visual effects managed by Willie Williams.

Live 1990
Live in 2000
French and Saunders: Still Alive! The Farewell Tour

Recurring sketches and characters

Sharon and Karen (1987–1988): Mischievous schoolgirls who shout "Miss!" when situations go awry.
The Extras (1987–2003): Overacting background performers who irritate both directors and lead actors.
Jim and Jim (1987–1993): Confident men engaging in inappropriate advances toward women across various scenarios.
Teen Talkers (1987–1988): Chatty adolescents discussing subjects like contraception.
White Room (1988–2005): Dawn and Jennifer interact within a plain white room, often impersonating celebrities or introducing other sketches.
History of Dance (1988–1996): Comical attempts at different dance styles that invariably end humorously.
Jackie and Leanne (1988–1996): Dramatic young women fixated on organizing events through mail-order catalogues.
Pear Tree Farm (1988–2005): A farm whose proprietor frequently shifts its business focus, assisted unwittingly by an employee who exposes underlying truths.
Star Test (1990): A spoof celebrity interview program parodying figures like Sonia and Bros.
The Expert (1990–2000): A talk show host introduces Dawn as an "expert," who repeatedly reveals her lack of knowledge; revived for the 2000 live tour as "PMTV".
The Fat Women (1990–1998): Residents of a country house engaging in reckless antics while exchanging cutting remarks.
The Sound of Music (1993): Hosts Ken and Duane review music history before parodying music videos.
Madonna (1993–2005): Frequently referenced and occasionally parodied in sketches such as In Bed with Madonna.
The Stylists (1996–2004): The flamboyant wardrobe stylist Daniel teams up with hair/makeup artist Terry to style celebrities and assist Old Masters.
Olde Elizabethan Shakespearean Times (1996): Two unhygienic women living a backward peasant existence during Elizabethan England.
Junior and Emma (1996–1999): Public schoolgirls left behind by their parents during holidays at school.
Special Effects Specialists (1998–2004): Prop makers producing disastrously bad props for major films like Titanic and The Lord of the Rings.
Catherine Zeta-Jones (2003–2004): Self-styled "Catherine Spartacus-Zeta-Douglas-Jones" contrasts her Welsh roots with Hollywood life.
Jodie & Jordan Solve Your Problems (2004): Provocative cam girls dispensing advice with a highly sexualized approach.
Mother and Daughter: Frequent quarrels between mother and daughter over insignificant issues.

Lananeeneenoonoo

Lananeeneenoonoo was a British comedic all-female ensemble comprising Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, and Kathy Burke. This group was a parody of the well-known trio Bananarama and made their first appearance on the 1988 Christmas special of French & Saunders, with Burke joining as a guest performer.

In 1989, they teamed up with Bananarama to record the charity single "Help!" in support of Comic Relief. Distributed by London Records, this Beatles cover entered the UK Singles Chart on 25 February 1989, reaching a peak position of No. 3 and remaining on the chart for nine weeks.

The Sugar Lumps

In 1997, French, Saunders, and Burke reunited under the name the Sugar Lumps, this time alongside Llewella Gideon and Lulu, to spoof the Spice Girls for Comic Relief. They performed a rendition of "Who Do You Think You Are" together with the original Spice Girls.

Individual projects and other roles

Saunders achieved worldwide acclaim as the writer and lead actress portraying Edina Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, a show inspired by a sketch from French and Saunders. Her career includes appearances in American sitcoms such as Roseanne and Friends, voicing the Fairy Godmother in DreamWorks' Shrek 2, and creating BBC sitcoms like Jam and Jerusalem and The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle. Additionally, Saunders acted as a brand ambassador for Barclays Bank and BBC America.

French is best known for her role as Geraldine Granger in the acclaimed series The Vicar of Dibley and starred in four seasons of the comedy-crime series Murder Most Horrid. Her filmography includes roles in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. French also appeared in BBC productions such as Jam and Jerusalem and Lark Rise to Candleford, gained recognition through Terry's Chocolate Orange commercials, and lent her voice to campaigns for W H Smith and Tesco. In 2009, she released her memoir Dear Fatty, addressing Saunders by her nickname. More recently, in 2021, she starred in a M&S Christmas advertisement featuring their confectionery mascot, Percy Pig.

Video Releases in the UK

French and Saunders: The Video (Best of Series 1 & 2) (1990)
French and Saunders Live (4 Front Video) (1991)
French and Saunders: Series 3 (1993)
French and Saunders at the Movies (Best of Series 4) (1994)

DVD Releases in the UK

French and Saunders Live (Universal) (2001)
The Best of French and Saunders / Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders (2002)
French and Saunders at the Movies (including 1999 Christmas Special) (2005)
French and Saunders: Complete Series 1–6 (2008)
French and Saunders: Still Alive (2008)

Video Releases in the USA

French and Saunders at the Movies (1997)
Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders (1997)
French and Saunders: Ingenue Years (1998)
French and Saunders: Living in a Material World (1998)

DVD Releases in the USA

Gentlemen Prefer French and Saunders (2002)
French and Saunders at the Movies (2002)
French and Saunders: The Ingenue Years (2003)
French and Saunders: Living in a Material World (2003)
French and Saunders on the Rocks (2005)
French and Saunders: Back with a Vengeance (2005)

Video Releases in Australia

French and Saunders: Series 3 – Complete and Un-edited(ish) – Part One (1993)
French and Saunders: The Best of Series 4 (1994)
French and Saunders: Series 3 – Complete and Un-edited(ish) – Part Two (1996)
French and Saunders: Live (2002)

DVD Releases in Australia

French and Saunders: Live (2003)
French and Saunders at the Movies (with 1999 Christmas Special) (2005)
The Best of French and Saunders (2005)
French and Saunders: Complete Series 1–6 (2008)
French and Saunders: Still Alive – The Farewell Tour (2008)
French And Saunders: Series One Episodes 1–3 (Comedy Bites) (2010)
Dawn French Bundle (2011)

Global Broadcasters

Nation	Television Channel(s)
Australia	ABC for original airings, UK.TV/The Comedy Channel for reruns, 9Gem
Canada	BBCK on BBC Kids
France	Arte for first broadcasts, Pink TV (France) for repeats
Germany	EinsFestival, Arte
New Zealand	UK.TV
Portugal	RTP2 for initial showings, BBC Prime/BBC Entertainment for reruns
Singapore	BBC Entertainment
Thailand	BBC Entertainment
United States	BBC America