Dawn French has revealed that the upcoming The Vicar of Dibley bonus episodes will feature a tribute to late co-star Emma Chambers.

Three new 10-minute "mini" episodes of the much loved sitcom will air on BBC One throughout December and will see French's Geraldine Granger delivering messages to her parishioners over Zoom during lockdown.

Chambers memorably played the role of Geraldine's sidekick Alice Horton during the show's run but died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of just 53 two years ago.

"We have tried to be light and funny but we also try to remember those who aren't with us any more," French told The Mirror.

"There is a eulogy to Alice there which wasn't very easy for me to film, but which was important for me to do."

Of the new episodes, she continued: "We asked ourselves, and by we I mean [writers] Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer and I asked ourselves, 'What would Geraldine be doing in the lockdown?'

"And of course she would be on the webcam talking to her parishioners so that's what we have done.

"We have made nine little tiny films where she, through the power of Zoom, is connecting with everybody and it's funny and silly as she is talking to folk."

The first of the special episodes airs Monday night at 8.50pm on BBC One.