French, who adopted her daughter, Billie, with her former partner, also explained to Cotton that it was best friend Jennifer Saunders was the one who made her dreams of motherhood come true. Not only did her “comedy wife” give a glowing character reference to adoption services, but Saunders also made it possible for French to step out of the limelight to welcome her daughter into her life.

“Ab Fab only came along because I stepped aside to have Billie in a secret way, and Jennifer stepped up and took the studios that were booked for French and Saunders…

“I said, ‘Jen, a baby has arrived’. And she said, ‘right, go, go, I’ll do something’.”

French continued: “Just the previous year we’d done a sketch of a mother and daughter that we’d enjoyed doing it and she was particularly good at. And, in fact, it was one of the longest sketches we’d ever done because we enjoyed it so much.”

Saunders turned the sketch into Ab Fab, which went on to become one of the most successful British comedies of all time.

“She was covering for me like a good sister,” reflected French, “but then she had the audacity to go and make a really good show without me, so that was very selfish!

“I was at home having my dream come true, which was this baby arriving in my life, but also having to witness her being rather good on her own!”

To hear the interview in full, be sure to listen to Dawn French’s interview on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place, available on Apple Podcasts now.

Image: Rex Features

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