Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders on changing the comedy scene for women

There are few double acts as instantly recognisable as comedians Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.

The beloved pair changed the comedy landscape - especially so for women - forever when they launched their infamous comedy sketch show, French & Saunders.

Now, Dawn and Jennifer have given a glimpse behind the scenes as they've revisited the making of their hit show and their subsequent rise to success.

The pair reflected on their journey - and the "empowering nature of female friendship" - for BBC One documentary, Imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter which aired last night (27 December).

While comedy is thankfully beginning to change, with more women on screen (including the likes of Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, Rosie Jones, Katherine Ryan and Judi Love regularly gracing our TV screens), the comedy scene has long been predominantly male. Even more so in the 1970s, when Jennifer and Dawn were growing up.

"When I was growing up, the women [on screen] were either bikini-clad babes, or not very attractive mother-in-laws, and were the butt of jokes, rather than telling the joke," actor and director, Kathy Burke told the BBC One documentary.

But in 1980, Dawn and Jennifer began breaking down stereotypes when they joined The Comic Strip, which was a group of "alternative" male comedians including Adrian Edmondson, who is now married to Jennifer.

Dawn reflected in the documentary: "I think they were embarrassed that they didn't have any women," before adding, "Being there at that time, being women in an equal role to the guys, was political in itself."

The women soon landed their own BBC sketch show, creating hilarious spoofs which poked fun at famous scenes from Hollywood films including Titanic, Thelma and Louise and Kill Bill.

But while the women were enjoying a meteoric rise to stardom, there were moments when Dawn's confidence faltered.

And it was in 2008 that the pair decided to close the curtains on their beloved TV show, French & Saunders, after a sketch with the singer Anastacia had left Dawn feeling "humiliated".

Remembering the sketch, which saw Dawn dress in a similar outfit to the US star, Dawn said, "I looked in the mirror and I thought: 'Yes, this isn't it, this isn't what Anastacia looks like.' But instead of finding it funny, I just thought: 'Oh I don't like it.' It just felt like I wasn't in control of the comedy. The joke was on me. I hadn't controlled it in any way."

Ultimately, Dawn says that feminism was at the core of their comedy.

"Doing our job was being a feminist," she mused. "That was the point of it really."

Imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter is available to catch up on BBC iPlayer.