Can You Keep a Secret? (TV series)
A retired couple faces blackmail after a mistaken death declaration.
Simon Mayhew-Archer created and wrote the BBC One sitcom Can You Keep a Secret?, which stars Dawn French and Mark Heap. First airing on 7 January 2026, the show was picked up for a second series the following month.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Sitcom
- Creator
- Simon Mayhew-Archer
- Director
- Simon Hynd
- Starring
- Dawn French
- Mark Heap
- Craig Roberts
- Mandip Gill
- Music
- Oli Julian
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- 1
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The cast also includes Craig Roberts and Mandip Gill.
- The Daily Telegraph said it was French's best work since The Vicar of Dibley.
- The Guardian gave the series 3 out of 5 stars.
Premise
Retired couple Debbie and William Fendon, living in the West Country, are presented with a criminal opportunity to claim life insurance when William is mistakenly declared dead. Their son Harry tries to hide the secret from his wife Neha, a local police officer. The Fendons attempt to stop whoever is blackmailing them while hiding William, who has Parkinson's Disease. The premise is loosely based on the John Darwin disappearance case.
Production
The six-episode show comes from creator Simon Mayhew-Archer and director Simon Hynd. CBS Studios, Mayhay Studios, and Big Talk Productions are behind it, with Kenton Allen, Mayhew-Archer, and Toby Welch (as of January 2025) serving as executive producers. Lauriel Martin and Joe Scantlebury produce. Mark Heap and Dawn French were named leads in August 2024. Filming started in the West Country in March 2025, using Axbridge, Winscombe, and Cheddar in Somerset.
More in Television Series by Big Talk Productions
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