‘Why I escaped for a QUIET LIFE'

Comedian Dawn French’s decision to rebuild her life in Cornwall was about more than just a picturesque coastline…

- GEORGIA FARQUHARSON.

Dawn French’s portrayal of Geraldine Granger in The Vicar of Dibley is the equivalent of a warm cup of tea on a rainy day.

But despite being synonymous with joy and laughter, Dawn French has been on her own journey of despair and darkness in her lifetime – having suffered her father’s tragic suicide when she was 19 and splitting from long-term husband Lenny Henry in 2010.

After relocating to Cornwall with the comedian in 2006 to be closer to family, Dawn had two options when they parted ways: move back to the city or rebuild a quiet life by the coast.

Here’s why Dawn – happily remarried to Mark Bignell – took time to ‘find’ herself and a new pace of life…

The end of an era

Dawn and Lenny’s split came as a shock to most when it was announced in 2010 that their 25-year marriage was over.

‘I KNOW WHO I AM NOW’

So it’s no surprise it took Dawn time to ‘mend herself’ – something she knew was vital if she were to find happiness again.

‘I have mended myself. I have seen what happens if you stay broken,’ she said previously. ‘When I was single I found my new self. But I think it is OK to grieve over a relationship.’