List of The Vicar of Dibley episodes

The Vicar of Dibley is a British sitcom starring Dawn French which premiered on BBC One on 10 November 1994. From 1994 to 1998, two series and two specials were produced and broadcast. A shorter third series was broadcast between Christmas 1999 and early 2000. Another four specials were aired between 2004 and 2007.

Although the series ended on 1 January 2007, numerous charity specials have been broadcast over the years;[1] and in December 2020, a series of shorter 'lockdown' episodes were broadcast.[2]

In all, 31 episodes have been broadcast: 20 main episodes, 7 charity specials as well as 4 lockdown episodes.

Series overview
Series Episodes Originally aired Avg. UK viewers
(millions)
First aired Last aired
1 6 10 November 1994 (1994-11-10) 15 December 1994 (1994-12-15) N/A
Specials 2 8 April 1996 (1996-04-08) 25 December 1996 (1996-12-25) N/A
2 4 26 December 1997 (1997-12-26) 22 January 1998 (1998-01-22) N/A
3 4 24 December 1999 (1999-12-24) 1 January 2000 (2000-01-01) 13.53
A Very Dibley Christmas 2 25 December 2004 (2004-12-25) 1 January 2005 (2005-01-01) 12.05
A Wholly Holy Happy Ending 2 25 December 2006 (2006-12-25) 1 January 2007 (2007-01-01) 12.74
Comic Relief specials 7 14 March 1997 (1997-03-14) 23 April 2020 (2020-04-23)
The Vicar of Dibley in Lockdown 4 7 December 2020 (2020-12-07) 23 December 2020 (2020-12-23)

Episodes

Series 1 (1994)
No. overall Title Duration Writer(s) Airdate
1"The Arrival"
30 minutesRichard Curtis10 November 1994 (1994-11-10)

When the 102-year-old vicar in Dibley dies, the villagers eagerly await a replacement. To their shock, the candidate turns out to be a woman. While David Horton tries to sack her, the other villagers grow to love their new vicar.

First appearance of Alice Tinker, David Horton, Hugo Horton, Owen Newitt, Frank Pickle, Jim Trott, Letitia Cropley and Geraldine Granger
2"Songs of Praise"30 minutesRichard Curtis and Kit Hesketh-Harvey17 November 1994 (1994-11-17)

The Songs of Praise team come to Dibley to film in St. Barnabas' Church. The townsfolk all want to be involved, while Geraldine falls for the show's producer Tristan Campbell (played by Peter Capaldi). Guest starring Pam Rhodes as herself.

First appearance of Tristan Campbell, Doris Trott, Gonads and Cecil
3"Community Spirit"30 minutesRichard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer24 November 1994 (1994-11-24)
Dibley has a fete and Geraldine is adamant about earning more than the £270 taken the previous year. So when Alice says she has a second cousin called Reg Dwight (played by Philip Whitchurch), Geraldine invites him thinking he is Elton John. Guest starring Kylie Minogue as herself.
4"The Window and the Weather"30 minutesRichard Curtis1 December 1994 (1994-12-01)
A storm hits Dibley, smashing one of the church's stained glass windows. While everyone struggles to remember what the window depicted, David points out it will cost £11,000 to replace. The vicar then pursues one of David's wealthy friends, Daniel Frobisher (Nicholas Le Provost), trying to persuade him to donate the money.
5"Election"30 minutesRichard Curtis & Paul Mayhew-Archer8 December 1994 (1994-12-08)

David stands for re-election to the local council, but faces competition when the villagers declare that they want the vicar to run. She agrees not to stand as long as David makes a few election promises. Featuring the voice of Alistair McGowan.

Last appearance of Doris Trott
6"Animals"30 minutesRichard Curtis15 December 1994 (1994-12-15)
As Alice worries whether I Can't Believe It's Not Butter might actually be butter, Geraldine is visited by a distraught villager whose pet has died. Moved by how much people love their animal friends, Geraldine plans a special service for all the animals of the village, to be held in the church. However when this attracts tabloid interest, David's wrath is incurred and he again attempts to have Geraldine removed. Guest starring Moray Watson.

1996 Specials
No. overall Title Duration Writer(s) Airdate
7"The Easter Bunny"40 minutesRichard Curtis & Paul Mayhew-Archer8 April 1996 (1996-04-08)

As Easter comes to Dibley, each council member gives up something for Lent: Geraldine, chocolate; David, being unpleasant; Hugo, lustful thoughts; Owen, swearing; Letitia, cooking "garbage"; Frank, being tiresome; and Jim, dithering. Sadness comes to Dibley as Letitia Cropley dies, and Geraldine promises to become the Dibley Easter Bunny, which involves dressing up as a rabbit.

Last appearance of Letitia
8"The Christmas Lunch Incident"45 minutesRichard Curtis & Paul Mayhew-Archer25 December 1996 (1996-12-25)

When Geraldine is invited to four separate Christmas dinners, she hasn't the heart to say "no" so goes to all four. On Christmas evening, BBC producer Tristan Campbell (played by Peter Capaldi) comes round and asks the vicar to marry him. Guest starring Orla Brady, Mel Giedroyc and Carol MacReady.

Last appearance of Tristan Campbell

Series 2 (1997–1998)
No. overall Title Duration Airdate
9"Engagement"40 minutes26 December 1997 (1997-12-26)
Tiring of Hugo and Alice's mutual attraction going nowhere, Geraldine decides to play cupid. It goes better than she hoped and the two become a couple, but when David finds out they are seeing each other he threatens to disinherit Hugo. Meanwhile, after Geraldine gives Owen his very first kiss out of pity, he proposes marriage much to her dismay.
10"Dibley Live"30 minutes8 January 1998 (1998-01-08)
To mark the 650th anniversary of St. Barnabus's Church, the villagers set up a radio station for a week and Geraldine holds a competition for the best DJ. Frank comes out as gay during his turn as DJ, but no one except Geraldine is listening. Alice competes against David in the village quiz.
11"Celebrity Vicar"30 minutes15 January 1998 (1998-01-15)
As a result of Radio Dibley, Geraldine is interviewed for The Times newspaper and invited to appear on Pause for Thought with Terry Wogan, where she meets ballerina Darcey Bussell. As media opportunities keep pouring in, fame goes to her head with unfortunate consequences for the other villagers. After humiliating her village in front of the nation, a humbled Geraldine tries to set things right.
12"Love and Marriage"30 minutes22 January 1998 (1998-01-22)

Alice and Hugo are married, with Jim as best man and children dressed as Teletubbies. Meanwhile, Geraldine is attracted to David's brother from Liverpool, Simon (played by Clive Mantle). During her hen night, Alice also reveals the shocking identity of her biological father. Guest starring Geraldine McNulty.

First appearance of Simon Horton

Series 3 (1999–2000)
No. overall Title Duration Viewers Airdate
13"Autumn"40 minutes13.08 million24 December 1999 (1999-12-24)

Hugo and Alice return from their honeymoon, and Alice is pregnant. Meanwhile, David's brother Simon (played by Clive Mantle) returns, and he and Geraldine begin a passionate relationship. However, when he says he's got a woman back in Liverpool, she is so devastated that she refuses to attend any services and offers her resignation.

Last appearance of Simon Horton
14"Winter"40 minutes14.17 million25 December 1999 (1999-12-25)
Geraldine wants to organise a Christmas show that no one will forget, and Alice suggests holding it at a real farm. At the event, at Owen's farm, Alice plays Mary and in the middle of the performance gives birth. The child is later named Geraldine after the Vicar.
15"Spring"40 minutes14.37 million27 December 1999 (1999-12-27)
The Bishop of Mulberry is to officiate at the christening of Alice and Hugo's baby. Geraldine and Owen are to be the godparents, while Frank and Jim act as god-grandparents. As David thinks about how he misjudged Geraldine when she arrived, he decides they are well-matched and asks her to marry him. When he goes to some considerable lengths to demonstrate that he is prepared to change himself for her, she is swept away by his declaration of love and ends up accepting. Quickly regretting it, Geraldine tries to extricate herself from the situation without hurting David's feelings. Guest-starring Sean Bean as himself, Richard Griffiths and Nina Wadia.
16"Summer"40 minutes12.49 million1 January 2000 (2000-01-01)
Dibley is in the middle of a drought, and the water company decides to solve the problem by turning Dibley into a reservoir. Geraldine chains herself to the Church in protest, but initially finds little support from the rest of the council when the water company makes lucrative offers to encourage them to vacate. Meanwhile, the villagers want to build a millennium statue. Guest starring Martyn Lewis, Jeremy Paxman and Roger Sloman.

A Very Dibley Christmas (2004–05)
No. overall Title Duration Viewers Airdate
17"Merry Christmas"55 minutes12.52 million25 December 2004 (2004-12-25)

It is Geraldine's 10th Christmas at Dibley, and to celebrate they hold a competition to see who can write the best Christmas carol. Meanwhile, at a party to celebrate her anniversary, David invites the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams (played by Brian Perkins), around. Also, Alice and Geraldine discuss who they would want to sleep with if they were gay and Alice then informs the parish council that Geraldine is gay when she sees a nearly naked Rachel Hunter in the vicarage. After her anniversary party goes terribly wrong, Geraldine drinks three bottles of wine but when the Vicar turns up at the midnight mass, she is shown to be completely drunk.

Last appearance of Cecil
18"Happy New Year"40 minutes11.57 million1 January 2005 (2005-01-01)

The villagers want to celebrate Geraldine's 40th birthday, so they buy her a ticket to a speed dating evening. However, when she goes it turns out that most of the dates are the other villagers. When the Vicar goes home without a man, Hugo offers to sleep with her and impregnate her so she can have a baby. Meanwhile, Geraldine is trying to get the villagers enthusiastic about the 20th anniversary of Live Aid and encourages them to write to the Prime Minister about the Make Poverty History campaign. However, when they show no interest, she shows them a short video depicting two poverty-stricken children. Guest starring Miranda Hart, Nathalie Cox and Cristian Solimeno.

This episode did not display full end credits of cast and crew, although the actors were all given an onscreen credit at the beginning of the programme

A Wholly Holy Happy Ending (2006–07)
No. overall Title Duration Viewers Airdate
19"The Handsome Stranger"55 minutes12.39 million[3]25 December 2006 (2006-12-25)
Geraldine is annoyed when she learns that another townie has moved into Dibley, so she goes round to see Harry Kennedy (played by Richard Armitage), who is an accountant, and instantly falls for him and the attraction is mutual. However, she soon sees him with an attractive woman called Rosie (played by Keeley Hawes), but it later turns out she is Harry's sister. He proposes to Geraldine, and she accepts. Meanwhile, Geraldine starts a book club and an art class, but neither are very successful as no one reads the book or attempts to paint what they are asked to. Also, after reading The Da Vinci Code, Alice thinks that as her name rhymes with chalice she must be descended from Jesus.
20"The Vicar in White"55 minutes13.08 million[4]1 January 2007 (2007-01-01)

Geraldine is looking forward to organising her own wedding to Harry (played by Richard Armitage), but the villagers insist on arranging it for her, thinking they are doing her a favour, and she doesn't have the heart to tell them otherwise. Hugo does a This Is Your Life for Geraldine, but this is interrupted by a power cut. The evening before the wedding, Owen, Jim and Jeremy Ogilvy (played by Hugh Bonneville), an old college friend whom Geraldine has chosen to conduct her wedding, all propose to her. On her wedding day, her white dress is ruined when Owen drives the car through a puddle and the dress is covered with mud. Geraldine then goes to the church in her pyjamas, and bridesmaid Alice is dressed as the Tenth Doctor with two Daleks: Geraldine and Harry are married. After the ceremony, Geraldine flies up into the sky as a sign of happiness.

Last appearance of Gonads and Rosie

Comic Relief specials
No. overall Title Duration Viewers Airdate
1"Ballykissdibley"11 minutesTBA14 March 1997 (1997-03-14)
In a vicar exchange programme, Father Peter Clifford (Stephen Tompkinson) from Ballykissangel comes to Dibley to face Alice's bizarre charity ideas and Owen's swearing.
2"Celebrity Party"14 minutesTBA12 March 1999 (1999-03-12)
Geraldine graciously invites Johnny Depp and the other celebrities in tow to a party at the Vicarage as the BBC contact the Vicar asking if they can do a documentary all about the village. Alice starts preparing for the party but doesn't realise she has her dress on the wrong way round. The party begins, and so Johnny Depp comes round with a host of celebrity friends, including Madonna; the Duchess of York; and Robin Cook (who, it transpires, kissed Geraldine). Because the whole party occurred in the dark, David doesn't believe that the party actually happened; he says the next day that he thought Johnny Depp brought round a couple of impersonators instead in order to fool Geraldine. He's quickly corrected and leaves absolutely flabbergasted.
3"Antiques Roadshow"14 minutes10.94 million[fn 1]11 March 2005 (2005-03-11)
When the Antiques Roadshow comes to Dibley, the villagers take along items to be valued. David is told that his "priceless" paintings are all worthless imitations, until he puts his fist through one in a fit of rage and is told he has just destroyed a valuable Manet. Jim thinks he is on Ready Steady Cook. However, when Alice goes to get her prized Papa Smurf model that her father gave her valued, Geraldine is forced to make the valuer, Hilary Kay, lie about its true worth. When Alice thinks she could sell it for its 'value', Geraldine must sell her TV and ring for Alice.
4"Wife Swap"9 minutes9.73 million[fn 1]16 March 2007 (2007-03-16)

Geraldine participates in a wife-swapping reality television show and gets to live with Sting. While Harry spends the week with Trudie Styler, Geraldine thinks that Sting is flirting with her. When it turns out he isn't she puts a cake in his face. Alice questions Sting's appearance in his band The Police comparing him to her uncle who was in the police.

Last appearance of Alice and Harry
5"Women Bishops"10 minutes9.87 million15 March 2013 (2013-03-15)

Geraldine and the parishioners head to London to vote on allowing women to become bishops, but make the mistake of sending Jim to cast the vote. Meanwhile, Geraldine flirts with an attractive vicar (Damian Lewis) and Frank's failing hearing leads him to make some major slip-ups.

Last appearance of Owen, Frank and David.
6"The Bishop of Dibley"[5]10 minutesTBA13 March 2015 (2015-03-13)

After taking part in the Ice Bucket Challenge (which itself goes astray), Geraldine gets an offer to become Bishop. Confusion on her behalf, however, leaves her last in the running when other, more successful, candidates turn up for the interview process. Guest starring Richard Ayoade, Annette Crosbie, Maureen Lipman, Emma Watson, Ruth Jones, Jennifer Saunders and Fiona Bruce. The only regular cast members were Dawn French (Geraldine), James Fleet (Hugo), and Trevor Peacock (Jim).

Last appearance of Jim
7"The Big Night In"[6]4 minutesTBA23 April 2020 (2020-04-23)

Following the lockdown caused by COVID-19, Geraldine gives a short service to her parishioners from her home. She describes her efforts to tidy up the mountain of Easter eggs, and issues corrections to the Parish Newsletter. The latest Parish Council meeting was also relayed, though attempts to use Zoom backfire as no one else has a computer, so Geraldine is left to make all the decisions herself. The short ends as Geraldine promises that the situation will be resolved.

Joint collaboration between Comic Relief and Children in Need. The only cast member to appear (apart from flashbacks) is Dawn French (Geraldine).

The Vicar of Dibley ... in Lockdown (2020)

In December 2020, a series of shorter 'lockdown' episodes of The Vicar of Dibley were broadcast.[7]

No. overall Title Duration Writer(s) Airdate Viewers
(millions)
21"Episode One"
9 minutesRichard Curtis, Paul Mayhew-Archer7 December 2020 (2020-12-07)4.81
In the first of her online sermons, the vicar has to explain the difference between miles and metres when it comes to social distancing. She finds that getting a lockdown haircut from someone more used to keeping animal coats trimmed may not be the best way to look fabulous, and dropping in to the online Sunday School turns out to be more trouble than it's worth, and shares her sermon with Hugo Horton, who is finding it difficult whilst in lockdown listening to his father tell the same old anecdotes.
22"Episode Two"
9 minutesRichard Curtis, Paul Mayhew-Archer14 December 2020 (2020-12-14)3.55
In her second set of sermons, Geraldine finally experiences the joy of going outside again. She also learns the dangers of trying to write sermons whilst also enjoying Advocaat, reveals the results of the village quiz, discusses the fiasco over school exams, ponders the Black Lives Matters movement and remembers her wonderful verger Alice.
23"Episode Three"
8 minutesRichard Curtis, Paul Mayhew-Archer21 December 2020 (2020-12-21)N/A
Masks have become vital and compulsory, even though we were previously told that they were quite the opposite. So Dibley is holding a mask design competition, with awards being made to the brightest and best. But the vicar has to point out fairly early on that the masks are meant to be the sort that are worn to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 rather than the sort that are worn to scare people at Halloween.
24"Compilation"
34 minutesRichard Curtis, Paul Mayhew-Archer23 December 2020 (2020-12-23)N/A

A compilation of all three of the lockdown episodes. The nation's favourite vicar muses upon lockdown, social distancing, masks and absent friends. The episode contains additional previously unseen material and scenes.

This episode was dedicated to (in loving memory of) Liz Smith, John Bluthal, Emma Chambers and Roger Lloyd-Pack, who had all previously passed away.

Notes
  1. Viewing figures for the whole of that night's Comic Relief.

References
  1. "Vicar of Dibley to be resurrected". BBC. 3 January 2007.
  2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006qgfj/the-vicar-of-dibley?seriesId=m000q6ml
  3. "BARB Top 10 2006". BARB. 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04.
  4. "Barb Overnight Viewing Figures". Barb. 2007. Archived from the original on 2009-07-15.
  5. "Vicar Of Dibley to return for Red Nose Day". British Comedy Guide. 11 January 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  6. "BBC Big Night In: All the talking points, from Little Britain's controversial comeback to Prince William's comedy sketch". The Independent. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  7. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006qgfj/the-vicar-of-dibley?seriesId=m000q6ml
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