geraldine kennedy (née granger) is a fictional female vicar, the central character to the successful british bbc sitcom "the vicar of dibley". she is portrayed by dawn french (who is 8 years older than granger), described by the british comedy guide as "the jolly, down-to-earth female vicar of dibley, a small country village inhabited by oddballs. after overcoming the town's initial shock at her gender geraldine helps to improve the village."