Dawn French and Mark Heap reveal emotional true story that inspired Can You Keep a Secret?

Dawn French's new BBC sitcom Can You Keep a Secret? might be jam-packed full of jokes, but the story has its roots in a difficult reality for series creator Simon Mayhew-Archer.

The story follows Debbie Fenton (French) and her husband, William (Mark Heap), as they attempt to pull off a life insurance scam after the latter is mistakenly declared dead.

An added complication is that William is living with Parkinson's disease and, at points, the show addresses specific symptoms that he suffers as a result, with this aspect of the character reflecting the experiences of Mayhew-Archer's own father.

A fellow TV writer, Paul Mayhew-Archer previously worked with French as a writer on The Vicar of Dibley, and has been a strong campaigner for Parkinson's awareness since his diagnosis in 2011 – earning an MBE for his work in that area.

In an interview with RadioTimes.com, Heap acknowledged that Paul suffers some "horrible" effects of the disease, but "makes light of it himself, just because he's a nice bloke and finds the humour in things".

That lightness is reflected in the character of William, but Can You Keep a Secret? also addresses a major issue of Parkinson's disease beyond the symptoms themselves – that health insurance usually doesn't cover it.

This lack of financial support becomes a motivating factor for Debbie and William's scam, with French finding some sympathy in her character's quandary, even if she believes Debbie has a "skewed moral centre".

"I think, in Debbie's head, she feels a bit like Robin Hood," she explained. "That she's stealing from the baddies and giving to the goodies, which is their own family – and others! She has definitely given money away [too]."

Their scheme doesn't seem entirely selfish, French argued, "especially when you've been shafted, like people are when they've got Parkinson's disease, which is something that Simon knows a lot about with his dad".

Parkinson's UK offers information on a few specialist insurance providers who may be able to help, but the charity acknowledges it can be "difficult" to find a suitable policy for the illness.

Paul is continuing to work with the condition, recently writing a romcom for the BBC titled But When We Dance, following two people living with Parkinson's who meet at a dance class. Laura Linney (Ozark) and Rhys Ifans (House of the Dragon) will star.

Discussing the project, he said: "In 2011, when I was 58 years old, I was told I had Parkinson's. It's incurable and it makes many of the things I do – walking, talking, smiling – increasingly difficult.

"But though I have reasons to hate Parkinson's, it has also brought me opportunities I wouldn't have missed for the world. The latest of these is the chance to work with the brilliant director John Madden and wonderful actors on bringing this story to life.

Paul added: "So, thank you Parkinson's. My fingers may fumble, my mouth may mumble and each step I take may result in a stumble. But I cannot grumble."

Can You Keep a Secret? premieres on BBC One and iPlayer on Wednesday 7th January 2026.

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