The Amersham Evening Townswomen's Guild

08/06/2025

Esmé Church established the Northern Theatre School, now Bradford Playhouse.

17/05/2025

The BBC meets astronaut Rosemary Coogan who is training at Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.

13/04/2025

The new statue of Agatha Christie with her dog Peter unveiled along Torquay Harbourside today.

Sculptor: Elisabeth Hadley

Photo credit: Jo Toffolo

04/04/2025

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders didn’t set out to be pioneers. They just were.

Long before comedy was an open playing field for women, these two stormed the scene in oversized wigs, ridiculous outfits, and a refusal to play second fiddle. They made people laugh – not as the punchline, but as the ones in charge of it.

Back in the late '70s, when most female roles were either dolled-up eye candy or nagging mother-in-laws, French and Saunders were spoofing action films, poking fun at pop culture, and dismantling stereotypes from inside a white living room set. Their parody work – Titanic, Kill Bill, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Thelma & Louise – was both silly and subversive.

They didn’t flinch from physical comedy or dressing up like idiots. As Adrian Edmondson put it, “Most women liked to preserve their vanity. They had none of it.” And thank God for that.

Their impact wasn’t just in what they did, but how they did it – unapologetically, together, and with a wicked glint in their eye. Whether they were causing mischief on the tube as drama students or handing out good luck cards to a young Mel and Sue at Edinburgh, they lifted others up along the way.

They were cosy, but never safe. Sharp as ever, even when being daft.

Comedy’s never been the same since they arrived – and wouldn’t be half as fun without them.

Dawn and Jennifer: two legends, one brilliant friendship, and decades of laughter.

31/03/2025

The two-week challenge took place in biting sub-zero temperatures - but the 32-year old managed to finish a day early.

31/03/2025

Angela Crompton's daughter has been speaking to the BBC about her life and the campaign in her name.

17/03/2025