Beneath the Cassock: The Real-Life Vicar of Dibley

Dawn French's Vicar of Dibley is one of Britain's best-loved sitcom characters. This is the story of the woman who inspired her. From a rebellious punk phase to her unexpected calling to the ministry, a prominent involvement in the struggle for the ordination of women to her "tabloid" wedding, it is perhaps unsurprising that Joy Carroll was chosen as the inspiration for "The Vicar of Dibley". She charts how the series was intended to help the acceptance of women priests in the church and society, and how Dawn French worked with her to realise that intention. Moving to the States, getting married and having a baby have all added to her multi-faceted role as a woman priest, and this book gives us a true insight into what that means for her and "spiritual" women like her.