The Vicar Of Dibley viewers in tears over Geraldine's emotional tribute to Alice Tinker

15 December 2020, 07:42 | Updated: 15 December 2020, 07:47

The Vicar Of Dibley In Lockdown viewers in tears over tribute to Alice Tinker

Dawn French as Geraldine paid a tearful tribute to Alice Tinker during The Vicar Of Dibley In Lockdown special.

The Vicar Of Dibley in Lockdown was back on our screens last night with the second of three special episodes.

But viewers were left heartbroken during the show when Geraldine, played by Dawn French, tributed her best friend, Alice Tinker.

Emma Chambers, the actress who played Alice, sadly died of a heart attack in 2018 at the age of 53.

Speaking to the camera about her best friend, Geraldine said: "OK friends, dear friends, this is going to be a weird one, as it's about love, and laughter and loss.

"Because Dibley is such full of life but everywhere I go now, if I'm standing in my kitchen, if I go into the vestry, it's always little Alice Tinker I see. And she died, three years ago this week."

She continued: "Who is the person I've most loved in my life? Well I'm very fond of my handsome husband, but in the end it's got to be her. My own darling dumb blonde.

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"She had one husband, six children and three brain cells. But so much love in her heart she could defrost a frozen pizza on a winter's day. She wasn't the brightest bulb in the box but when we lost her, all our lights went out."

Geraldine told the camera Alice had died of cancer, as she said: "I believe in eternal life in heaven but I also believe in eternal life on earth, because those who die are eternally here, alive in our memories and in who we are."

As she teared up, she added: "Because of….because of how they changed us.

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"So message for today, love the ones you're with especially today in these hardest of times and God bless you all."

Pictures of actress Emma Chambers were then shown on screen, as viewers at home admitted they were left heartbroken by the scene.

One fane wrote: "That was a beautiful episode of #VicarOfDibley @Dawn_French speaking so fondly of “Alice” made me cry! Thank you".

"Oh @Dawn_French your beautiful tribute to Alice just caught me unawares and made me cry. Your words were just beautiful! The #vicarofdibley is simply brilliant and we have missed it, and you so much. Thank you,” said another.

A third added: "How on Earth did you get through that!? #vicarofdibley I'm in bits. Such a lovely tribute. Thank you Vicar of Dibley team"

This comes after Dawn recently spoke out about how difficult the scenes were to film.

"Along with all the silly, funny stuff, there is a moment where we pay tribute to Alice and that was not easy to film," she told The Mirror.

"Honestly, I had to do it seven times. I didn't get through it once without tears but it's really important to remember this is where real life and Dibley come together."

Praising the sitcom's writers, Dawn added: "Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer have got this skill of making stuff funny and light but also being truthful and honest."

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