Dawn French has said she nearly turned down the starring role in Richard Curtis's sitcom The Vicar of Dibley because she did not think the character was funny enough.
In an interview on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4, French said she wanted to play the verger Alice - Emma Chambers was subsequently cast in that role.
French told host Kirsty Young: "When Richard showed me the part, or explained it to me, I thought how on earth do you play a central character who's so blooming good?
"I thought where are the flaws? Where is the monster in this woman? That's what I understand comedy to be. However, Alice was a very funny character from the off, but anyway he wouldn't let me play it."
