‘I couldn't be happier!'

Dawn French on her return to the vicarage for three lockdown-inspired specials

- HANNAH DAVIES

THE VICAR OF DIBLEY IN LOCKDOWN

NEW MONDAY / BBC1 / 8.50PM / EP 1 of 3 / COMEDY

Dawn French’s chocoholic vicar Geraldine Granger and her festive goings-on with her oddball parishioners were once as much a part of Christmas as mince pies and mulled wine.

Well, deck the halls, as nearly 14 years after the beloved BBC1 sitcom came to an end, Dawn’s reprising her role as Geraldine for a trio of seasonal specials, dishing out her musings on life, lockdown and, of course, chocolate to the Dibley locals in a series of monthly Zoom sermons.

‘Back in the dog collar, back in Dibley and back on your telly at Christmas,’ says Dawn, 63. ‘I couldn’t be happier. Bless you.’

This week’s 10-minute opener will air straight after a reshowing of a classic episode of The Vicar of Dibley, and features three dotty but delightful lockdown talks from Geraldine’s virtual pulpit.

There’s also a disastrous Zoom broadcast to the village school, which ends with Geraldine in a fluster when the kids decide Jesus’ ancient miracles were nothing compared to magician Dynamo’s modern-day tricks!