'They are very happy together': Dawn French finds love again with charity executive Mark Bignell

By Georgina Littlejohn

It's a new Dawn, it's a new life: Ms French has found love again with charity executive Mark Bignell

She divorced her comedian husband two years ago after 25 years of marriage and then lost a whopping eight stone in weight.

And with a new Dawn French comes a new man after the funny woman was snapped strolling hand-in-hand with her new love.

The comedienne, 54, is dating charity executive Mark Bignell and was seen with the tall, white-haired man on the beach near her home in Cornwall.

Laughing and joking and gazing into each other's eyes, Dawn and Mark, 49, looked very happy together as they strolled with her dog along the sand.

They were also seen shopping together in the local town and walking back to her home clutching a bottle of champagne.

A source close to the couple told the Sun: 'She and Mark got together last year.

They make a great couple and are very happy together.'

The news about Dawn's new romance came just days after Dawn's ex-husband Lenny Henry appeared in public for the first time with his new partner, producer Lisa Makin, 45, who many have observed bears a striking resemblance to the comedienne.

Mark, who has been married twice before, is the chief executive of the Hamoaze House charity, which helps recovering drug and alcohol abusers reintegrate into society.

He has been working in drug and alcohol rehabilitation for the past 20 years and as a daughter of 20 and a son of 17, and is believed to be on good terms with both his former wives.

And her mother Roma is on the board of trustess and is a former chief executive the same organisation, which is based in Plymouth.

Moving on: Lenny Henry and his new girlfriend Lisa Makin at the theatre last week - who observers have said bears a striking resemblance to Dawn

Dawn showed off her dramatic weight loss back in November after shedding almost eight stone.

And she said she was enjoying her new lifestyle, as well as being single and said: 'The only thing that's new is meeting new chaps. But what is that, other than extremely exciting and very good fun? I don't even want to call it dating, like some teenager.

'I'm just trying to have a bit of fun every now and again. I'm taking some people up on offers and I'm not taking up other people.'