Filming has officially started for Can You Keep a Secret? a brand-new BBC One and iPlayer sitcom starring comedy legend Dawn French (The Vicar of Dibley), alongside Mark Heap (Friday Night Dinner), Craig Roberts (Submarine), and Mandip Gill (Doctor Who).
Written by Simon Mayhew-Archer — the creative mind behind the hit comedy This Country — this six-part series is packed with laugh-out-loud moments and plenty of family chaos.
The story follows Debbie Fendon (played by French), a protective granny and self-appointed family boss, who will do anything to keep her loved ones safe — though, more often than not, they actually need saving from her. When her quiet, reclusive husband William (Mark Heap) is wrongly declared dead, the couple spots an unexpected opportunity: fake his death, claim the life insurance, and enjoy a carefree retirement. All William has to do is hide in the attic for a few months until the money rolls in. Simple, right?
Not so much. Their plan throws their son Harry (Craig Roberts) into turmoil. He’s already juggling life with a young family, and things only get messier when he realizes his “dead” father is very much alive — and that his parents have turned into a pair of scheming pensioners. The real kicker? Harry’s wife Neha (Mandip Gill) is a no-nonsense local police officer. If she uncovers their plot, the Fendons’ retirement dreams might turn into prison sentences.
Set and filmed in the West Country, Can You Keep a Secret? introduces us to a wonderfully oddball family — the kind you’ve never met, yet somehow feel like you already know.
The series is a Big Talk Studios, Mayhay Studios, and CBS Studios co-production, commissioned by the BBC’s Jon Petrie. With Dawn French herself as an executive producer, the show promises to deliver heartwarming comedy with a mischievous twist.
So… can the Fendons keep their secret? Or is someone bound to let the cat out of the bag?
Can You Keep a Secret? (6 x 30 mins) will air soon on BBC One and iPlayer — stay tuned!