Comedian Dawn French has been disqualified from driving for six months following her fourth speeding offense in three years. The 68-year-old entertainer accumulated 12 points on her license after being cited for driving her Mini Clubman Cooper S Sport at 36 mph in a 30 mph zone in Plymouth, Devon, on June 11, 2025.
French, known for her roles in "The Vicar of Dibley" and her comedy partnership with Jennifer Saunders, already had nine penalty points on her license at the time of the infraction. Her solicitor, Chris Spencer, informed Plymouth Magistrates' Court that French had pleaded guilty online and expressed remorse for the offense, acknowledging that a driving disqualification was inevitable.
District Judge Stuart Smith imposed the six-month ban, noting that the offense fell into the lowest subcategory of speeding guidelines, which carries a Band A fine and three penalty points. These points, added to her existing nine, triggered the disqualification.
French was also ordered to pay a £600 fine, a £240 victim surcharge, and £90 in costs. The court heard that her weekly earnings exceed £2,000. The judge initially granted 14 days for payment, later extending the deadline to 21 days at the request of French's solicitor.
This latest offense marks the fourth time French has been caught speeding in three years. Previous speeding incidents occurred in June 2025, July 2024, and June 2023.
In other personal news, French recently shared that she had lost 7.5 stone by incorporating more walking into her routine. Her best-selling memoir, "Dear Fatty," was published in 2008, and in 2009, French and Saunders were awarded the Bafta Fellowship for their significant contributions to television.
Despite her recent driving ban, French has previously joked about her driving abilities. In a 2016 interview, she admitted to receiving penalty points in both Devon and Somerset on the same night for speeding through roadworks. She was caught driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone in Plymouth and already had nine penalty points on her licence. French is pictured as The Vicar of Dibley.
