The BBC's new comedy offering, 'Can You Keep a Secret?', has generated a polarised response from its audience following its premiere on Wednesday, 7th January 2026.
Premise and Plot of the New Sitcom
The series features comedy stalwarts Dawn French and Mark Heap as married couple Debbie and William Fendon. The plot kicks off with a dramatic premise: after William is mistakenly declared dead, his wife Debbie decides to perpetuate the error, claiming his life insurance payout on the condition he remains in hiding.
The situation becomes increasingly complex when their son, Harry, played by Craig Roberts, uncovers the truth and finds his father alive. As the debut episode concluded, a darker twist emerged, with a threatening letter pushed through the letterbox, revealing that someone else knows William's secret and is demanding hush money.
Viewer Reaction: From 'Awful' to 'Hilarious'
Audiences took to social media platform X immediately after the broadcast to share their often contrasting opinions. A significant number of early reactions were highly critical.
One viewer sharply compared it to other comedies, stating it made "Mrs Brown look like a comedy masterclass," while another simply labelled it "Just awful." Others expressed disappointment, with one posting they were "Waiting for the comedy" and another admitting the show had not raised "a half hearted smile so far."
However, the reaction was not universally negative. Several viewers found the show highly entertaining. One person who watched after 'The Traitors' said, "Dawn French humour is cracking me up." Another echoed this sentiment, enthusing, "Same here. This is hilarious!"
Dawn French on Her Character's Motivation
In discussions about her role, Dawn French provided insight into her character, Debbie. She described Debbie as someone who is convinced she is always right, a trait French contrasts with her own personality.
"She's made a split decision in a mad moment, and once the decision is made, unless she's prepared to go to prison, she knows she'd better man up and deal with it," French explained. She added that once such a life-altering choice is made, a person must "gird your loins and get on with it because once you're in, you're in."
The full series of 'Can You Keep a Secret?' is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
