Dawn French has revealed her candid thoughts on the praise she received for her significant weight loss as part of her recovery from health issues. Once tipping the scales at 19 stone, French has successfully lost seven and a half stone after being advised by medical professionals to shed weight following her 2014 cancer scare.
The beloved comedian disclosed this personal transformation came after she was told she would need to undergo a hysterectomy. Doctors advised her to lose weight to facilitate quicker recovery from the surgery. "So I decided to take action, and I dropped seven and a half stone," French recounted.
To make significant changes, she embraced a low-calorie diet and ramped up her physical activity. This decision enabled her to have keyhole surgery, allowing her to return to her normal routine within just three weeks, whereas had she not lost the weight, she might have had to undergo major surgery with a far more prolonged recovery period.
Despite the personal triumph represented by her weight loss, French has publicly pushed back against the way media outlets have framed her transformation, insisting the tone of the coverage implies criticism of her previous size. "I have never rejected the bigger woman I have been. Lots of people do it and say, 'Oh, you look so muchbetter - now you look well.' And I think, 'F** off! Don't judgethat other person who I loved,'" she expressed during her interview with The Times last year.
French's feelings are magnified by her experiences with friends, like fellow performer Alison Moyet. She highlighted, "Alison Moyet is a very good friend and so often she has been reduced to descriptions of her physicality. She's this giant talent. Why reduce her tothat? I'm not taking any s* from anyone about any of it."
Throughout her career, French has embraced her size, often using it for comedic effect. She frequently pointed out how she was larger than the characters she parodied. Her 2023 memoir emphasized this, where she remarked, "It’s anessential part of the delight of the parody joke, and it's a key part I'm collaborating on at all times." She aims to liberate people from societal shame about size by addressing it head-on with humor.
Now, French is preparing to appear on The Masked Singer Christmas Special alongside her longtime collaborator, Jennifer Saunders. The setup remains as vibrant as ever, with French and her fellow judges, including Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan, set to guess the identities of four celebrities disguised as festive figures like a Christmas cracker, star, nutcracker, and turkey.
This episode of The Masked Singer* promises not only entertainment through performance but also hints at French's determination to confront issues of body image with her unique blend of humor and authenticity. The show will air from 7:30 PM tonight on ITV1 and ITVX, ensuring fans see their favorite comedian's spirited take on this entertainment craze.
