Don't Panic! The Vicar Is Here

TV legend Frank Williams, who played the role of the Vicar in Dad's Army, will take to the road in a series of special outreach appearances to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Williams, 81, played the role of fed up parish priest Reverend Timothy Farthing in the World War Two sitcom, constantly trying to preserve his beloved church from the ravages of Captain Mainwaring’splatoon of home guardsmen.

The bumbling vicar, who had a fondness for whisky and once joined the homeguard platoon in an attempt to ward of invading Nazis, was an eccentric and somewhat ineffectual part of the Warmington On Sea community.

But in real life, Frank Williams is a devout Christian, with a lifelong commitment to the church.

As a TV show and radio programme Dad’s Army, which was written by comedy veterans David Croft and Jimmy Perry, remains an enormous success, with BBC repeats drawing in millions of viewers and listeners.

And the show has also been taken to the West End in a stage musical adaptation.

Williams also appeared in a host of other TV hits, including ‘You Rang M’Lord’, in which he played a Bishop.

As a member of the church of England, he sat in the general Synod until 2000, and in 2002 he published his autobiography, Vicar to Dad’s Army.

Now ‘Christians In Entertainment’ are organising a tour of churches: “I am told that one of the Queen's favourite television programmes is Dad’s Army," said Frank.

“So I am particularly honoured to be able to take up a number of church requests to talk about the series as well as my faith and career. Dad’s Army crosses all the age boundaries and is as popular as ever. If it brings people into a church that wouldn’t otherwise come, then I will be really pleased.”

Churches keen to book a show should contact Christians In Entertainment.