Quotes by Dawn French

“If I had been around when Rubens was painting, I would have been revered as a fabulous model. Kate Moss? Well, she would have been the paintbrush.”

“Im so proud to be voted as a number one role model by these young women. Of course though no-one knows more about rolls than I do.”

Funny how women are ashamed of their inner fairy whereas men are forever proudly displaying their inner cowboy or fireman

There is a latent fairy in all women, but look how carefully we have to secrete her in order to be taken seriously. And fairies come in all shapes, colours, sizes and types, they dont have to be fluffy. They can be demanding and furious if hey like. They do, however, have to wear a tiara. That much is compulsory.

That’s the key, you know, confidence. I know for a fact that if you genuinely like your body, so can others. It doesn’t really matter if it’s short, tall, fat or thin, it just matters that you can find some things to like about it. Even if that means having a good laugh at the bits of it that wobble independently, occasionally, that’s all right. It might take you a while to believe me on this one, lots of people don’t because they seem to suffer from self-hatred that precludes them from imagining that a big woman could ever love herself because they don’t. But I do. I know what I’ve got is a bit strange and difficult to love but those are the very aspects that I love the most! It’s a bit like people. I’ve never been particularly attracted to the uniform of conventional beauty. I’m always a bit suspicious of people who feel compelled to conform. I personally like the adventure of difference. And what’s beauty, anyway?

Two people occupying the same air. Nothing else in common. Just oxygen.

We were a bit like bacon and eggs, where yknow, the chicken is involved, but the pig is really committed? I totally gave myself to it just as we promised, for better or worse, and you didnt see it like that.

For the first time ever, I was alone in a different country. I was nervous about how I was going to cope in this big bustling city and so I employed a technique which still serves me well today. I imagined myself as someone who relished new exciting opportunities, who was utterly unafraid and perpetually optimistic. It was a kind of reinvention. Everyone I met was new. These people didnt know me, there was no shared history, so I could be anything or anyone I wanted to be. My theory was that if I behaved like a confident, cheerful person, eventually I would buy it myself, and become that. I always had traces of strength somewhere inside me, it wasnt fake. It was just a way of summoning my courage to the fore and not letting any creeping self-doubt hinder my adventures. This method worked then, and it works now.

My approach to parenting is that everything is open - everything. Im not very good at covert, or subtle, and Ive had to learn timing. I do blunder in a bit.

My daughter couldnt care less about me being famous. She finds it revolting and, like a lot of teenagers, is virtually allergic to me. That started at 12 and hasnt gone anywhere yet.

My best friend is the most important girl, outside of family, to me. I met her when I went to college and we bonded immediately. Id do anything for her at any time. We phone each other every day.

I never do any television without chocolate. Thats my motto and I live by it. Quite often I write the scripts and I make sure there are chocolate scenes. Actually Im a bit of a chocolate tart and will eat anything. Its amazing Im so slim.

I have turned away from the thought of writing fiction in the past through what I suppose is, actually, fear. The direct, raw invitation for the reader to come in and explore my imagination is fairly scary for me so I have busied myself with so much else.

Thats the awful thing about dating. Tight underwear. We would all like to be in a big bra and pants and when you are in a secure relationship you can do that.

It was my father who taught me to value myself. He told me that I was uncommonly beautiful and that I was the most precious thing in his life.

I keep my own personality in a cupboard under the stairs at home so that no one else can see it or nick it.

I dont know what the future holds, but I have to be confident about it. Its just the way I am.