Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, French & Saunders, Mel Giedroyc

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders become the latest British entertainers to gain an Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award during a unique show, hosted by Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc and featuring chat, clips, celebrity video salutes and surprise special guests.

The event is being put on by Bristol’s annual Slapstick festival of visual and classic screen comedy to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of the French & Saunders BBC television series and acknowledge the duo’s 35 year body of screen comedy work, together and separately.

Slapstick Festival director Chris Daniels says: “We’re delighted that Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders will be joining the Aardman/Slapstick roll call of comedy legends, adding to a list which already includes Ken Dodd, Barry Cryer, Barry Humphries and June Whitfield. Together, they became the UK’s best known female comedy duo, setting an example which opened up opportunities for many other women comedians, among them our event’s host Mel Giedroyc whose double act with Sue Perkins got its TV break on French And Saunders".

"In addition, Dawn and Jennifer have individually been central to some our best loved TV shows, among them the long-running Absolutely Fabulous and The Vicar Of Dibley, and more recently as contributors to some of our most memorable comedy films, including Shrek 2, Minions and Sing!”

The Colston Hall show will feature on-stage chat, performance clips and live and video tributes from some of the duo’s many celebrity fans and co-stars in the run-up to the presentation of the award – a custom-made French and Saunders version of the Aardman character Morph.