The comedy duo were inspired by a recent chat on their podcast Titting About.
Comedy legends Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders have been discussing ideas for a new sitcom to work on together, RadioTimes.com can reveal.
The double act rose to prominence in the 1980s as part of the Comic Strip group, before spinning off into their own massively popular sketch show French & Saunders, which enjoyed a 20-year run on the BBC.
They have collaborated on several other projects since the show ended, most recently their Audible podcast Titting About, in which they unpack a different topic in each episode, sharing hilarious anecdotes and banter along the way.
The second series is available to download from today, with episode six seeing French and Saunders jokingly pitch a new sitcom called Loose Trousers, which would make comfort and convenience a top priority.
But while the conversation started in jest, the duo revealed in an exclusive chat with RadioTimes.com for The Big RT Interview that it has got them seriously thinking about ideas for a new television comedy to work on together.
French explained: “Funnily enough, making jokes about a kind of sitcom that would have us in loose trousers and filming close to home and having plenty of snacks on demand started us thinking: ‘Well actually, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.’
“And then we did have a conversation,” she continued. “We had lunch the other week and we were talking about what might be possible. But I think nowadays the thing that would be a priority for us is for it to be good fun. There isn’t really another reason for us to do something unless it’s fun.”
Of course, while it’s hugely exciting to hear that the comedy stars are having these discussions, it’s important to keep in mind that there are no concrete plans in place just yet.
“I don’t know if we’re talking about it for real or we just talk about it because we enjoy talking about it,” said French.
“I think we want to talk about it, make it in our front room and then no one ever see it,” Saunders replied. “That’s what we want.”
“There will be a moment where somebody comes along, whether it’s a director, a producer or our agent, who goes, ‘Can you stop just chatting now and can we actually film it?’ And that’s when it will turn in,” French added.
In addition to their many collaborations, French and Saunders found major sitcom success individually in The Vicar of Dibley and Absolutely Fabulous respectively.
They have since reunited on television for BBC One’s Jam & Jerusalem and GOLD’s Funny Women, while they will share the screen once again next year in Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Death on the Nile.
Read The Big RT Interview with French and Saunders next week on RadioTimes.com. French & Saunders: Titting About 2, an Audible original podcast is available to download from Thursday 26th August 2021 (for Audible members or free with Audible’s 30-day trial). Check out our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.