Dawn French

As the lovably hapless Tom Hollander shone his way though the comedic murk of Rev, it was hard to escape the feeling that this gentle sitcom was merely The Vicar of Dibley in reverse. Where that show had Dawn French playing an inner-city cleric transposed to a country setting, this new series saw a rural reverend trying to make the best of his east London posting.

Aimed, perhaps, at those who loved Dibley but found Father Ted too sweary, Hollander had the good grace to remove his dog collar before uttering the "F" word and the show, for all its try-hard 21st-century references and excellent supporting cast, came across as old-fashioned as Derek Nimmo's All Gas and Gaiters. A programme, it must be noted, that hit screens in the same year that John Lennon declared the Beatles "more popular than Jesus".

Tom Hollander makes a bid here to join Derek Nimmo and Dawn French in the small but cosy pantheon of sitcom vicars. He plays the Reverend Adam Smallbone, a well-meaning, unshaven, east London clergyman who smokes, drinks enthusiastically and does the splits at parties, but is sweetly ineffectual in the face of the problems he faces. They include a domineering archdeacon and a rash of pushy parents hoping to get their children into "his" C of E school, whose headmistress Smallbone clearly fancies. It's a gentle, ragged sort of comedy, short on belly laughs but with enough character-led jokes to offer hope for good things to come. Alexander Armstrong brings his expert comic timing to the role of a bluff MP who is one of the "On your knees, avoid the fees" crowd. The wonderful Olivia Colman seems (so far) slightly wasted in the role of the vicar's wife, but given time, and given Hollander's rumpled charm in the lead, it could be a quiet winner.

Dawn French & Lenny Henry attend comedy event together

Separated spouses Dawn French, 52, and Lenny Henry, 51, arrived at the Great British Comedy Event together where Dawn was being honoured for her partnership with Jennifer Saunders.

Dawn French enjoys night out Jennifer Saunders

Dawn French looks radiant on a night out - her wedding ring and sparkler still firmly ON.

Divorced Dawn French & Lenny Henry return from holiday

Dawn French and Lenny Henry cheerfully return from holiday together despite their divorce.

Dawn and Lenny: Just good friends - or just good actors?

The 'amicable' split to which Dawn French and Lenny Henry aspire is more common than we might imagine.

The woman who stayed in a hotel room with Lenny Henry

The woman who stayed in a hotel room with comedian 11 years ago breaks silence on Lenny Henry and Dawn French divorce.

The REAL reason it's all over for Lenny and Dawn

Dawn French's biographer reveals the truth behind the split between French and Lenny Henry.

End of 25-year double act for comedy couple

Comedy couple Dawn French and Lenny Henry's 25-year marriage seemed one of the strongest in show business.

The woman Dawn French called 'the blip'

How Lenny Henry's marriage never recovered from his 'fling' with blonde.