Just saying the words ‘Vicar of Dibley’ has the power to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, such was the effortless charm radiating from its wonderfully diverse characters. Originally airing from 1994 until 2007, this popular sitcom starred a wealth of acting talent including, of course, Dawn French, Roger Lloyd-Pack and Gary Waldhorn.
The show also featured such talents as Miranda Hart, Mel Giedroyc and Peter Capaldi. The Vicar of Dibley was set in the titular fictional small Oxfordshire village, which was assigned a female vicar – very unusual at the time. Written by prolific British screenwriter Richard Curtis, who also penned Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually, the series went on to become a huge success, receiving multiple British Comedy Awards, two International Emmys and placed third in a BBC poll of Britain’s Best Sitcoms.
All good things come to an end, however, and the show’s final service concluded with Geraldine marrying hunky Harry, despite a series of hilarious mishaps including a very muddy wedding dress. But our favourite vicar returned for a series of festive episodes, where in 2020 the series opted to mirror real-life events by showing Geraldine preparing to deliver a sermon via webcam to the locked down people of Dibley.
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She said: "Back in the dog collar, back in Dibley and back on your telly at Christmas. I couldn't be happier. Bless you."
You may recall the show has included a number of high-profile guests over the years, including Kylie Minogue, Sean Bean and Jeremy Paxman, who each played themselves. Anyhow, we are gathered here today to find out what happened to the cast of the show after it ended. So pull up a pew, and let’s find out ...
Dawn French - Reverend Geraldine Granger
Warm-hearted and refreshingly down-to-earth, Geraldine Granger may have ruffled a few feathers when she arrived in the village as its new vicar, but rapidly became a popular member of the community.
Eyebrows were certainly raised at her sometimes outrageous behaviour peppered with the odd bit of fruity language, but everyone could see she had a heart of pure gold. Of course, you may remember she married Harry Kennedy (Richard Armitage) in the show's final episode, much to the nation’s collective swoon.
Dawn French is surely best known for writing and starring in French and Saunders with best friend Jennifer Saunders. A regular on our TV screens for as long as many of us can recall, she really has done pretty much everything, from treading the boards to big budget films and all sorts of stuff in between. She hilariously appeared as Vicky Pollard's mum in Little Britain as well as relishing roles in Lark Rise to Candleford and in Sky One's Delicious.
If you know your Muggles from your Galleon, you will be familiar with her portrayal of the Fat Lady portrait in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Away from the screen, Dawn has excelled as a writer, with her best-selling autobiography, Dear Fatty, receiving huge critical acclaim. She was married to comedian Lenny Henry when The Vicar of Dibley first aired, but they separated after 25 years of marriage in April 2010. Dawn went on to wed charity executive Mark Bignell in 2013 after two years together.
Last year Dawn was picked to voice the fairy lady for Marks & Spencer in a series of Christmas food adverts, alongside Spiderman’s Tom Holland, who voiced the brand’s mascot Percy Pig.
Emma Chambers - Alice Horton
The fantastically ditzy Alice was the adorable church verger, who Geraldine once memorably and affectionately described as possessing ‘the intellectual capacity and charisma of a cactus’.
Despite widespread condemnation, Alice married her second cousin once removed Hugo Horton (more on him later) and went on to have an incredible TEN children. The huge Doctor Who aficionado cheekily made that the theme of Geraldine's wedding, dressing up as the Tenth Doctor and coercing the bridesmaids to rock up as Daleks.
Actress Emma Chambers played the role beautifully, deservedly winning the British Comedy Award for Best Actress in 1998. No stranger to the big screen, Emma appeared as Hugh Grant's on-screen sister in Notting Hill before later pursuing voice work.
Tragically, Emma died at home from a suspected heart attack in February 2018 at the age of just 53. Emma had battled severe allergies throughout her life and was very close friends with co-star Dawn.
Gary Waldhorn - David Horton
Wonderful character actor Gary Waldhorn had a field day during his time as the bullish David Horton, chairman of the parish council and district councillor - and not forgetting Hugo's rather cold father. His old-fashioned nature meant he frequently crossed swords with Geraldine, but as the series went on built up more of an understanding and respect for one another.
They got on so well, in fact, that in an incredible twist they nearly got married – until Geraldine got cold feet. Actor Gary appeared in every single episode of The Vicar of Dibley. Just like Dawn, he’s been a near-constant presence on our screens throughout his illustrious career, appearing in many classic British TV shows such as The Bill, The Sweeney, Heartbeat, The Professionals, Minder, Rumpole of the Bailey and Hotel Babylon in 2008. He was also classically trained and truly flourished in the theatre, enjoying roles such as playing the lead in Henry IV at the Old Vic
You have also heard his voice in countless television commercials, ranging from Green Flag and Kwik Fit to Marmite. Gary sadly died earlier this year at the age of 78.
Roger Lloyd-Pack - Owen Newitt
Saddled with the unenviable title of ‘Britain’s B.O King’, farmer and parish councillor Owen was renowned for his appalling personal hygiene, where he could be smelt before he was seen. In a strangely progressive move, he was the very first person to support Geraldine's appointment as vicar.
Actor Roger is, of course, best known for playing dozy road sweeper Trigger in seminal British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He later became familiar through his role as Barty Crouch in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Like many of his co-stars, Roger is no stranger to our screens, enjoying roles in The Catherine Tate Show, The Bill and Doc Martin - with his final role in an episode of Law & Order: UK in 2014. Tragically, the actor later died that year at the age of 69, with Only Fools co-stars David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst among those attending his funeral.
Dawn French hosted a special 10-minute heartfelt tribute to her co-star on the BBC, telling viewers he was ‘a really lovely, interesting, complicated man’.
John Bluthal - Frank Pickle
Yawn! Oh sorry, was that me? Dullard Frank – once dubbed The Most Boring Man In Britain in a newspaper headline - was the parish council secretary. Forever regaling tedious stories about the milkman being 47 minutes late or the pub running low on peanuts, he was the kind of guy that you’d cross the street to avoid.
After keeping his sexuality hidden for four decades, Frank summoned up the courage to announce he was gay on the radio, but only Geraldine actually heard it. Talented actor John enjoyed a hugely varied career, involving both the theatre as well as TV classics including Casualty and Last of the Summer Wine. He was also a star on the big screen, appearing as a multitude of characters in the 1967 version of Casino Royale as well as featuring in several Carry On films.
Back in 2016, he starred in the Coen brothers’ movie Hail, Caesar! and his final role was in Daniel Radcliffe flick, Jungle. Sadly, John died in 2018 at the age of 89.
Trevor Peacock - Jim Trott
And what’s the first phrase you think of when you visualise council member Jim? ‘No-no-no-no-no’! Jim was married but this didn’t stop him persistently flirting with the vicar, even proposing to her in the final episode (how many marriage proposals can one woman take?!).
Another stalwart of Dibley, actor Trevor also appeared in Hotel Babylon, My Family and Jonathan Creek opposite funnyman Alan Davies. You may also remember he appeared as Alfie Moon’s war veteran chum in EastEnders. Trevor also appeared in the 2015 Vicar of Dibley Comic Relief Special. Sadly, the actor died in March last year. He was 89.
James Fleet - Hugo Horton
Bullied by his cruel father – the aforementioned David – dimwitted but sweet Hugo finally stood up to his dad by marrying Alice against his father's wishes. What a memorable episode that was!
Outside of Dibley, James is perhaps best known for playing blundering and affable Tom in Four Weddings and a Funeral. A much sought-after actor, James has appeared in Grange Hill, The Bill and starred in the Kevin & Perry Go Large movie in 2000, as well as the 2018 flick The Spy Who Dumped Me.
And that’s not all, he also featured in BBC Three comedy Bad Education and trod the cobbles in Coronation Street back in 2010, where his character, Robbie Sloane, was shot dead after kidnapping Carla Connor. James returned as Hugo for 2020’s Christmas special - The Vicar Of Dibley in Lockdown
Liz Smith - Letitia Cropley
Another hugely popular character in the show (let’s face it, all the characters were popular), Dibley church organist and parish councillor Letitia Cropley was a great personality.
Dubbed The Dibley Poisoner and The Queen Of Cordon Bleurgh, she was well-known throughout the village for her bizarre recipes, including a Marmite cake with Branston Pickle icing. Her tenure on the show was short-lived, with the character passing away in the 1996 Easter special.
Perhaps best known for her role as Nana in The Royle Family, Liz also starred in the inaugural series of Lark Rise to Candleford and was bestowed an MBE in the 2009 New Year's Honours.
Sadly the veteran TV star died on Christmas Eve in 2016 at the age of 95.
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