Vicar Of Dibley to return for lockdown specials
- The Vicar Of Dibley In Lockdown - three new 10 minute episodes - will be broadcast from 7th December
- Dawn French will present sermons as Geraldine Grainger, with James Fleet appearing as Hugo
- French says: "Back in the dog collar, back in Dibley and back on your telly at Xmas. I couldn't be happier"
Dawn French is to reprise her role as Geraldine Grainger for three new short lockdown-based episodes of The Vicar Of Dibley.
The Vicar Of Dibley In Lockdown will be broadcast in the run-up to Christmas on BBC One, with the first episode due to air on Monday 7th December.
The BBC confirms: "Dawn French is to reprise her much-loved role as the nation's favourite Vicar, Geraldine Grainger of the Parish of Dibley, for The Vicar Of Dibley In Lockdown to mark the end of this extraordinary year.
"During lockdown, post-lockdown and pre-another-lockdown, Geraldine has been writing and delivering monthly sermons to her parishioners via Zoom... when she can make it work. These new thoughts on life (and chocolate) will air after repeat showings of classic episodes of the multi-award winning The Vicar Of Dibley, this Christmas on BBC One."
The episodes will mainly feature just Geraldine talking, however James Fleet, who plays Hugo Horton, will also appear.
Producers explain: "Geraldine will be helped by Hugo as well some of the local primary school children as the vicar discusses all the important topics, including how it's never a good idea to let Owen Newitt cut your hair, or make home-made wine. The very dearly departed Alice Tinker is also still an important presence in the village, with some residents still looking for lost buttons and the arrival of decimalisation."
Dawn French says: "Back in the dog collar, back in Dibley and back on your telly at Xmas. I couldn't be happier. Bless you."
Writer Richard Curtis comments: "Like every village in the country, there's been a lot happening in Dibley this year - and Dawn has got a lot to say about it."
Commissioner Shane Allen adds: "This triple festive treat from the nations favourite fun-loving vicar is the warm comedy hug we've all missed."
The episodes, which are each 10 minutes long, will be broadcast weekly in the run-up to Christmas, with a half-hour compilation featuring all three sermons airing later over Christmas.
The first episode will be broadcast on Monday 7th December at 8:50pm, following a repeat of a classic episode of The Vicar Of Dibley.
The Vicar Of Dibley started in 1994, with 20 episodes made. The vicar was last seen on television earlier this year as part of The Big Night In, which was organised during the first lockdown. Here is that video:
All the episodes of The Vicar Of Dibley are on iPlayer