Comedian Dawn French has taken up a new role, quite different from those she has built her career on - chancellor of Falmouth University The BAFTA Fellow will be officially welcomed to the creative arts university at her formal installation ceremony which will take place in March. The announcement comes ahead of her one woman show which comes to Cornwall next month.

Dawn said: “I actually trained to be a teacher, so have always had a keen interest in education and I jumped at the chance to join the team at Falmouth.

“Falmouth's ties with the creative industries are what attracted me. I worked with Michael Grandage to devise and rehearse my current show at the university earlier this year and was amazed at the facilities and the calibre of students I met.

“It's a beautiful place with so many subjects that are close to my heart. I'm already bursting with ideas and want to make sure that my Chancellorship is an active one, working with the many talented students.”

Professor Anne Carlisle, vice chancellor at Falmouth University, added: “We have searched carefully for the right individual to become chancellor. It was important to us to find a person that can exemplify and identify with the broad range of skills that are needed to succeed in the creative industries today.

“As a pioneering artist who is respected worldwide as a performer, theatre maker and writer, she is an ideal role model for young people looking to make their careers in the creative industries. Dawn is the perfect figurehead and inspiration for our students. Her passion and enthusiasm for the role and the university has already been infectious and she has a life long association with and total passion for Cornwall.”