Dawn French has called for assisted dying to be legalised in the United Kingdom, describing the decision as a 'no-brainer'. The actress, best known for her role in The Vicar of Dibley, shared her views in an interview with Good Housekeeping magazine for its July issue.
French's Stance on Assisted Dying
'It's a no-brainer, really, as long as all the correct protocols are in place, everybody's permission is given and it's for all the right reasons,' French told the publication. 'I just don't get why we haven't approved it in this country. It feels merciless to me not to.'
French joins a growing list of celebrities, including broadcasters Dame Esther Rantzen and Dame Prue Leith, who actively support assisted dying legislation.
Legislative Background
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was first supported in principle by Members of Parliament in the House of Commons in 2024. Last year, it cleared the Commons with a majority of 23 votes. However, the bill ran out of parliamentary time to become law after stalling in the House of Lords last month.
Reflections on Ageing
French, 68, who posed in a monochrome dress and a white blouse for the Good Housekeeping cover, also addressed her fears about getting older. 'I feel extremely troubled by everything. The world seems hopeless right now,' she said. 'The idea of getting older, of being vulnerable, of no longer being independent – those things are all daunting.'
Personal Experience with Suicide
French's comments come after she previously spoke about her father's suicide. Denys Vernon French tragically took his own life aged 45 in 1977, when French was just 19. Appearing on ITV's This Morning to promote her book Enough, she said: 'Because of what happened to my dad, I guess I have had a lifetime of processing what happened... When I was 19 of course, I was furious, angry, confused, full of grief. As I have grown older, tried to understand mental ill health, which I do understand, you forgive. And then also, I have really thought this subject is something we need to talk about… Not put all this shame, taboo stuff, back in the day, this was illegal, sinful. I am the living proof you can get through something like this. You need to talk about it to understand it.'
She added that 'blame is everywhere' around suicide and that her mother 'lived with a certain amount of that as well'. 'That's why the more we talk about it, that's why everyone's experience is different. Everyone's reason is different. My dad was an incredibly engaged dad. A cheerful man. But he had these black dogs, when they came, he took to his bed, they were deep and dark. As kids, we didn't even know that. What we had was a great fun, dad for most of the time.'
The full interview is in the new issue of Good Housekeeping UK, on sale now.
