Dawn French has revealed the lasting impact of her father's death by suicide, admitting the subject 'lives in my brain'. The 68-year-old comedian's father died in 1977 when she was just 19, and she has now addressed the taboo in her new book, Enough.
Speaking to The Times, French said: 'I've faced a lot of my thoughts and fears about it. Suicide lives in my brain in a way it might not for somebody who hasn't experienced it so closely.' She added that as she has aged, she wants to talk about 'the big things', including mortality and the difficulty of end-of-life.
The Vicar of Dibley star stressed she does not believe she would ever take her own life, but understands why others might. Her father, she said, 'lived his whole life with this suicidal ideation and with depression', and she knew of a previous attempt while he was training at RAF Halton.
French’s mother, Roma, died in 2012 shortly after a lung cancer diagnosis. The actress described how her mother viewed death as a 'win-win situation', either staying with family or reuniting with her husband. French and her brother continue to check in on each other.
Despite her grief, French says she has 'too much love for' those around her and finds happiness through her career and loved ones. Anyone struggling can contact Samaritans free on 116 123.
