New sitcom for Dawn French and Mark Heap

BBC comedy has echoes of the 'Canoe Man' who faked his own death

Dawn French and Mark Heap are to star in a new BBC One sitcom, Can You Keep A Secret?, apparently inspired by Canoe Man John Darwin faking his own death.

In the six-part series, French plays Debbie Fenton - ‘granny, lawn bowler and tinpot dictator’ – whose hermit-like husband William (Heap) is mistakenly declared dead. Spotting an opportunity too good to pass up, he hides out in the loft waiting for the life insurance to pay out so they can live out their retirement in peace.

However. the scam proves a bit much for their easily frazzled son Harry who is also navigating life as the father of toddlers. It has not yet been revealed who plays Harry.

French said of her role: ‘At last, a sitcom where I can keep my top on… mostly.’

The story has echoes of the Darwin case. He faked his own death in a canoeing accident off the North Sea coast near Hartlepool in 2002. However, he was secretly living in a bedsit next door to the family home, before moving back with his wife Anne. The scam was exposed five year later, after the pair had fraudulently received a £250,000 life insurance payout.

Can You Keep A Secret? has been written and created by Simon Mayhew-Archer, whose credits include This Country and Josh. He said: ‘Having the chance to make this show is the greatest joy of my career.’

Set in the West Country, the six-part series was commissioned by Jon Petrie, director of BBC comedy, who said: ‘Can You Keep a Secret? hilariously delves into a rarely portrayed stage of the family life cycle, blending classic sitcom elements with an exhilarating farcical crime twist.

‘With Dawn French and Mark Heap leading the cast, this is an irresistible new comedy and I can’t wait for BBC viewers to see it.’

Executive producer Kenton Allen of Big Talk Studios, added: ‘Working with Dawn French has been a career-long ambition and to have her inimitable comedic brilliance join forces with the extraordinary Mark Heap and the Simons - Simon Mayhew-Archer and [director] Simon Hynd - is every producer’s dream.

‘We’re can’t wait for viewers to see this highly original family comedy in all its glory.’

News of the series was announced at the Edinburgh TV Festival today.

Can You Keep A Secret? production credits

Made by: Big Talk Studios, Mayhay Studios and CBS Studios
Written and created by: Simon Mayhew-Archer
Executive producers: Kenton Allen and Simon Mayhew-Archer
Producers: Lauriel Martin and Joe Scantlebury
Director: Simon Hynd
Commissioned by: Jon Petrie, director of BBC comedy
Commissioning editor: Tanya Qureshi

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Published: 22 Aug 2024