Dawn French

French & Saunders gives French room for expansive characters and meticulously shared embarrassment, especially when a parody’s grand ambition meets awkward execution. Her rapport with Jennifer Saunders makes the performers’ reactions as rewarding as the impersonation itself. Follow that with The Vicar of Dibley, where Geraldine supplies a more sustained emotional centre inside an eccentric ensemble. It is a useful comparison for viewers who value warmth alongside comic excess: the solo career shows how she can anchor a whole scene as well as enliven a double act.