Dawn French seeks forgiveness from real reverends over her portrayal of the Vicar of Dibley

She may have helped the nation accept the idea of women in the clergy – but Dawn French has revealed that she's constantly apologising to real reverends over her portrayal of the Vicar of Dibley.

The 64-year-old comedy star says women of the cloth often tell her they are nicknamed 'Geraldine' after her sitcom character, and she always responds: 'I'm so sorry.'

But she adds: 'They say 'Don't say sorry, because it normalised it all' – that's the power of comedy.'

The 64-year-old comedy star says women of the cloth often tell her they are nicknamed 'Geraldine' after her sitcom character

Speaking to presenter Rylan-Clark-Neal on his Ry-Union podcast, Ms French said she researched her character by chatting to Joy Carroll, one of the first female vicars.

'I needed to ask her questions… how you wear the dog collar with the dress?

'What do you earn?

'Are you allowed to s**g your boyfriend?

'She just opened her heart.'

'I thought 'this is my kind of babe'. She lives in America now, she married an American preacher.'

Geraldine Granger returned to the BBC for a series of short films last year, marking various moments from the pandemic.

She was on our screens yesterday in a repeat but last year told of her desire to get a promotion.

'I've always said to Richard Curtis, she'd make a great Bishop,' Ms French recalled.