Can You Keep a Secret? review: A sitcom with plenty to like, except good jokes

It's very difficult for me to write this review, since I recently joked with Dawn French that anyone who doesn't like Can You Keep a Secret? should be "ashamed" (see video, above). But also, because I genuinely want to like it, more so than I actually do.

Undoubtedly, French is a national treasure, teamed here with a charming cast that includes comedy veteran Mark Heap (Friday Night Dinner), Doctor Who star Mandip Gill and ex-CBBC staple turned indie filmmaker Craig Roberts (Still Up).

What's more, the series takes poignant inspiration from the real life of creator Simon Mayhew-Archer, whose father (The Vicar of Dibley co-writer Paul) lives with Parkinson's disease – as does Heap's character, William Fendon.

This underlying condition, combined with the handiwork of a farcically ineffective doctor, leads to his mistakenly being declared dead in the sitcom's prologue, allowing widow wife Debbie (French) to claim fraudulently on his life insurance.

While the tone of Can You Keep a Secret? is pretty daft, its nonchalant handling of living with serious illness provides a sturdy emotional anchor that keeps you on the side of the Fendons – even in moments of moral ambiguity.

Mayhew-Archer maintains a genuine sense of danger too, as Debbie and William risk a lengthy prison sentence should their scheme be detected by even their own daughter-in-law, Neha (Gill), who just so happens to be a police officer.

Each episode builds up to a last-minute twist, setting up another storm for the family to weather next time, with the whole thing playing a bit like a quaint British spin on Disney Plus phenomenon Only Murders in the Building.

So what's the problem? Well, to be frank, it's just not very funny.

For as much potential as there is in the premise and cast, it's largely squandered in scripts that rely heavily on basic gags, whether that's a broad range of bodily functions, a few recurring naughty words, or Debbie and William's meandering banter.

By virtue of being a genre hybrid, incorporating elements of mystery and thriller, there are more reasons to tune in than just the jokes – but French and Heap are such strong comedic talents that this is a tough pill to swallow.

Conversely, Can You Keep a Secret? is a comedy first and foremost, which spends a lot of time trying to make you laugh, so the relatively low hit rate is a problem that can't be entirely ignored.

If the show finds an audience, there's enough potential on display here to warrant another go at making it work – but for now, I'm afraid ashamed to say, this insurance fraud sitcom is yet to pay out.

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

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