Dawn French's life from divorce to comedy star, 7.5 stone weight loss and multi-million pound home

Dawn French, a beloved comedy star and household name since the 1980s, has been entertaining the nation for decades with her comedic sketches and sharp wit.

The 67-year-old first showcased her acting talent in Channel 4's The Comic Strip Presents series in 1982, establishing herself as a British comedy legend.

One half of the comedy duo French and Saunders, Dawn and her best friend Jennifer Saunders began their sketch and satire show in 1987, which ran until 1993, reflecting popular culture of the era.

However, it was her role in the BBC series Vicar of Dibley that truly made her a household name. The show, which featured numerous Comic Relief specials, ran for over ten years and remains popular to this day.

Throughout her impressive career, Dawn has appeared in major films such as Harry Potter, Coraline, The Chronicles of Narnia and Death on the Nile.

In addition to releasing several books, Dawn has also lent her voice to Marks and Spencer's as the animated Christmas fairy for their TV adverts. This year, however, she appears as herself alongside the festive character. As the comedy icon returns to TV screens, we've delve into Dawn's life away from the spotlight.

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Dawn French and Lenny Henry's paths first crossed in the 1980s when they were both on the comedy circuit. They exchanged vows in a lavish ceremony in London's Covent Garden in 1984, marking the beginning of their life together as a comedy power couple.

During their marriage, they welcomed a baby girl, Billie, who they adopted seven years after marriage when she was just two weeks old, following difficulties conceiving naturally. However, their daughter keeps a low profile and is rarely seen in public with her parents

In 2010, the couple announced their decision to part ways, bringing an end to their 25-year marriage.

A statement released on their behalf at the time read: "The separation is entirely amicable and they fully intend to maintain their close friendship. Their priority is to commit to the future joint parenting of their daughter."

While neither spoke publicly about the split, Lenny revealed to the Express in 2016 that they had come to a mutual understanding that their marriage had run its course.

He explained: "There's generally a situation where one partner wants the marriage to finish more than the other.

"I think maybe one of us did, then the other one did, and then the other did over a period of time and then, in the end, we thought, 'Oh, actually maybe we both do'. We knew it wasn't possible to continue."

Despite their split, Dawn has maintained that there is no animosity between them and they have remained the best of friends. Both Dawn and Lenny have since moved on and are now in new relationships.

Dawn relocated to Cornwall in 2006, settling in the picturesque village of Fowey, where she frequently shared glimpses of her rural life on social media, including scenic dog walks and breathtaking sea views.

Her home, a stunning Grade-II listed mansion boasted 15 bedrooms and offered spectacular views of the estuary. Dawn initially moved in with her then-husband Sir Lenny Henry and daughter Billie over two decades ago.

Following her divorce, Dawn remained in the property with her second husband Mark Bignall later joined her. However, the couple decided to sell the estate two years ago, reportedly for £6.6 million, as they sought to relocate closer to the Devon border.

A friend revealed that Dawn hadn't moved far, stating: "Dawn will always love Fowey and spent 15 very happy years living there. She will miss all the locals who made her feel so welcome when she moved into the town," according to Cornwall Live.

In 2014, Dawn underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding weight from 19 stone to 11.5 stone. This drastic change was prompted by an upcoming surgery, rather than her split from Lenny Henry, as many had speculated.

At the time, Dawn explained: "When I was due to have my hysterectomy the doc told me that if I could lose some weight before the op, they would be able to do it via keyhole, and I would recover in three weeks or so."

Describing her decision to slim down, Dawn revealed: "Otherwise it would be big open surgery, and three months to recover. So, I set about dropping a few stone."

Dawn spoke about her weight loss journey, attributing the success to a regime of low-calorie meals and increased walking. She continued: "I lost seven-and-a-half stone. I could have the keyhole surgery. Great. That's all it was, practical."

Reflecting on weight fluctuations, Dawn reminisced four years ago on her podcast French and Saunders about gaining some pounds, admitting she had become "back to being an entire barrel" yet didn't appear troubled by it.

The comedian was resolute in her self-acceptance, stating: "I don't give a f**k, I really don't, so long as I can walk. I'm not going to be stingy to myself anymore. I never did dislike anything about my body, even when I was very, very fat. I refuse to be forced to dislike myself.

"I used to get really angry when I did lose weight, people going, 'You look so well,' as if you looked awful before - rewarding you for managing it, which is not easy, I accept that. But I didn't want people to give me approval. It's so patronising."