French and Saunders is a British comedy sketch series created by and starring Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The series premiered on BBC2 in 1987, and due to its success, it was moved to BBC1 in 1994. For the first four series, it regularly featured Simon Brint and Rowland Rivron as the comedic musical duo Raw Sex. Additional music was provided throughout the show's run by guest-starring musicians, including recurring guest Alison Moyet, and throughout series 3 by Kirsty MacColl. Frequent guest stars included Kevin Allen, Patrick Barlow, Harriet Thorpe and Kathy Burke, with other significant guests including Jane Asher, Lenny Henry (French's then-husband), Patsy Kensit, The Krankies, Lulu and Helen Mirren.
In addition, the BBC has aired several compilation specials, including the two-part "French and Saunders Go to the Movies"; the two-part "I Can't Believe It's Music"/"I Can't Believe It's Not Music"; the 20th anniversary, six-part series A Bucket o' French and Saunders; and the 30th anniversary special "300 Years of French and Saunders".
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With this episode, French and Saunders moves from BBC Two to BBC One.
Between 1995 and 2007, several compilation specials were broadcast on BBC One; first with a two-part special, consisting of highlights of sketches featuring movie parodies, then a subsequent two-part special encompassing the music parodies. This was followed by a seven-part 20th Anniversary retrospective, "A Bucket o' French and Saunders", featuring classic clips with the addition of new material, as well as a similar, stand-alone special, "300 Years of French and Saunders", which commemorated 30 years of the series.
A Bucket o' French and Saunders was shown from 7 September till 5 October (the sixth episode not being shown). The series was shown as a retrospective, showing 20 years of the French and Saunders sketch show. The older material was interspersed with new sketches, which had been recorded in June 2007 at BBC Television Centre. New material included parodies of America's Next Top Model, The Apprentice, Gordon Ramsay's The F-Word, The Academy Awards (featuring a cameo appearance by Helen Mirren), X Factor, Big Brother, Fame Academy and a parody of disgraced celebrities Amy Winehouse and Britney Spears.