Can You Keep a Secret?
Two months after the death of his father, William (Mark Heap), Harry (Craig Roberts) is visiting his no-nonsense mother Debbie (Dawn French) when he learns that the life insurance money has been paid (entirely in cash). More importantly, though, he also discovers that his father is still alive. After a series of mishaps and misunderstandings caused him to be falsely pronounced dead, the couple decided to commit insurance fraud in the hopes they could do some good with the massive payout. However, it’s not long before their messy situation becomes even more chaotic as they try to keep their criminality a secret from the rest of the village.
Part family sitcom, part thriller, writer and creator Simon Mayhew-Archer’s Can You Keep a Secret? is the sort of offbeat fun needed to warm viewers up during the winter nights. French is a ferocious source of comedic energy throughout each of the six episodes as she fires sharp one-liners in rapid succession. Roberts and Heap are likewise excellent in their respective roles. William’s bumbling, happy-go-lucky attitude is a delightful bright spot, while Harry’s neuroticism leads to some frantic back-and-forths between him and his mother. The three stars gel wonderfully together to create exactly the kind of dysfunctional family that’s easy to love. Another notable mention is Mandip Gill as Harry’s police officer wife, Neha, who is unwillingly dragged into the highly illegal situation.
A large part of this show’s charm comes from the strangeness of it all. The small town is populated with a lot of peculiar characters (including someone known for doing nefarious things with petrol pumps), which gives the setting a surreal sense of place that’s distinctly British. While many of the show’s bizarre and outlandish moments elicit plenty of chuckles, dated references and juvenile toilet humour appear too often, falling flat each time.
While this show’s underlying mystery isn’t as intricate as the BBC’s prestigious police procedurals, there are nevertheless a handful of unexpected twists that viewers won’t see coming. Despite the finale’s snappy attempt to tie everything together, some glaring unanswered questions leave a few key plot threads unresolved.
French, Roberts, and Heap are hugely entertaining in this oddball comedy designed to cure the winter blues, even if it stumbles in some important places.
Andrew Murray
Can You Keep a Secret? is released on BBC iPlayer on 7th January 2026.
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