Dawn French - Biography

Rate: Born in Holyhead, Wales, a young Dawn was immersed in an RAF background, with her father serving in the Royal Air Force. Tragedy struck when she was just 19, as her father committed suicide aged just 45.

She met her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders in 1977 at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. It appears they didn't originally get on but their friendship - and shared love of comedy - grew to the point of their first double-act with the unusual name of The Menopause Sisters. We think we prefer the current name to be honest, don't you?

Dawn has of course been seen in hundreds of different guises throughout her time with Saunders, but has been a massive star in her own right with shows like The Vicar of Dibley, Murder Most Horrid and with her classic role as Vicky Pollard's mum in Little Britain.

She's also in one of the best known celebrity relationships, being married to comedian Lenny Henry since 1984 and the pair have an adopted daughter named Billie.

Dawn's done some stirling work for Comic Relief over the years. Some of her gruesome tasks have included the joyful snogging of Hugh Grant, George Clooney and Brad Pitt. What a hard job!

Dawn turned down the offer of an OBE in 2001.