She has a name that's synonymous with quick wit and wicked humour. She's the Queen of British comedy. Her name's Dawn French and she's bringing her inimitable brand of comedy to New Zealand shores.
The beloved Vicar Of Dibley star will visit Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as part of her irreverently-titled Dawn French is a Huge Twat tour in May 2024.
Seven Sharp's Hilary Barry sat down for an exclusive interview with French, and the comedian said she's excited to be coming back to New Zealand.
"I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to coming. I've got sort of a proper love for New Zealand. Anytime I can, I go there because it relaxes me. It's so peaceful. I love the people. I love so much about it," she said.
French noted that New Zealand will be the final stop of the tour.
"When I finished in New Zealand with Jennifer [Saunders], that was the end of our French and Saunders tour. That's where we wanted to finish. In fact, when we did, we did these tattoos in Auckland.
"Jennifer has two little stars on her ankle, and I have two little stars on my wrist. We always finish up in New Zealand because you race and gallop along and that [New Zealand] is your prize at the end."
She went on to explain why she named her one-woman stand-up show, Dawn French is a Huge Twat.
"I've called it that because, frankly, that's the truth. The reason I chose this word is because to me it is a really acceptable, soft, easy word that's like an admonishment - but it's an admonishment with a hug," she said.
"My mum always felt free to use that word, and if my mum was OK with it, I'm OK with it."
French said the show will offer a new insight into unseen aspects of her work.
"I wanted to write a show that was a little bit about stories behind the scenes to do with career. In other words, this is what you've seen. You've seen me do French and Saunders or Vicar of Dibley, or Harry Potter, but let me tell you the stories that went on behind the scenes to produce those moments," she shared.
"Most of the stories behind the scenes are stories where I've been a complete idiot, and I've got things wrong, said the wrong thing to someone. I have sent the wrong email to exactly the wrong person. I have said something wrong to a Royal. I'm a person who puts their foot in their mouth all the time."
She said making fun of her mistakes was a key component of the show.
"The thing I really want to do with this show, besides having a trot through a bit of fun, is to say 'let's stop all the shame that goes with mistakes - let's own them, wear them like big, bright, shiny medals, and have a good laugh about them'.
"Each one of the stories I cringe at the same time as I'm telling it. And then I think that's what it was like, that's who I was in that moment. I can tell you that the more that I wrote this show, the more I had. So in the end I wrote a book as well that goes with this show."
French last toured Aotearoa in 2016, where she performed her 30 Million Minutes show.
Tickets for her New Zealand shows go on sale this Thursday at 11am.
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