Jennifer Saunders | |
---|---|
Born | Jennifer Jane Saunders 6 July 1958 Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England |
Education | Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (BA) |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1981–present |
Notable work | French and Saunders Absolutely Fabulous |
Spouse | |
Children | 3, including Ella Edmondson and Beattie Edmondson |
Awards | BAFTA Fellowship (2009) |
Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English actress, comedian, singer, and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with her best friend and comedy partner, Dawn French. With French, she co-wrote and starred in their eponymous sketch show, French and Saunders , for which they jointly received a BAFTA Fellowship in 2009. Saunders later received acclaim in the 1990s for writing and playing her character Edina Monsoon in her sitcom Absolutely Fabulous .
Jennifer Jane Saunders was born on 6 July 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England. [1] [2] Her mother, Barbara Jane (née Duminy), was a biology teacher, and her father, Robert Thomas Saunders, served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He reached the rank of group captain, and later worked for British Aerospace. Six months after her birth, Saunders' parents moved to Cyprus. Her family moved to Camberley, and then to Melksham at the age of ten. She has three brothers: Tim, Peter, and Simon. [3] [4] As her father was in the armed forces during her childhood years, Saunders changed schools several times. [4] She was educated from the age of five to 18 in boarding schools and then at St Paul's Girls' School, an independent school in west London. [5] Her first year of secondary school was at a comprehensive school in Wiltshire. Her parents had wanted her to board at Stonar School. Her family moved to Cheshire in 1971 when her father left the RAF for Hawker Siddeley. Her headmistress at Northwich Grammar School For Girls was Janet Dines, where she played in goal for the school hockey team. After school, she worked for a year in Italy as an au pair. [6]
In 1977, Saunders received a place at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London on a drama teachers' course, [4] where she met her future comedy partner, Dawn French. [7] French and Saunders came from RAF backgrounds, and had grown up on the same base, even having had the same best friend, without ever meeting. [3] The comic duo originally did not get on well, and as far as Saunders was concerned, French was a "cocky little upstart". The distrust was mutual: French considered Saunders snooty and uptight. [3] French wanted to become a drama teacher, [1] whereas Saunders loathed the idea and had not fully understood what the course was about; thus, she disliked French for being enthusiastic and confident about the course. [4] Saunders was shocked to find that she was taking a course to become a teacher, as her mother had filled in the application form. Her mother was saddened when Saunders chose not to apply for an Oxbridge university education. [4]
After the initial friction experienced during drama school, French and Saunders shared a flat together. French has remarked on Saunders' messy habits when sharing the house saying: "When we lived together in Chalk Farm, she had a room at the top of the house. We got broken into and the police said, 'Well, it is quite bad, but the worst is that room at the top.' And, of course, nobody had been in there." [4] The two performed together after graduation, working the festival, cabaret, [4] and stand-up circuits. They formed a double-act called The Menopause Sisters. Saunders described the act, which involved wearing tampons in their ears, as "cringeworthy". [3] The manager of the club where they performed recalled, "They didn't seem to give a damn. There was no star quality about them at all." [3]
French and Saunders would eventually come to public attention as members of the informal comedy collective The Comic Strip, part of the alternative comedy scene in the early 1980s. They answered a 1980 advert in The Stage newspaper looking for female comedians to perform at The Comic Strip, which had, until that point, only had male performers. [1] [3] When they walked into the audition, they were immediately told, "You're booked. When can you start?" [4] They became continuing members of The Comic Strip, which included Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Peter Richardson, Nigel Planer, Pete Richens, Alexei Sayle and Robbie Coltrane. [1] [3]
The group performed at the Boulevard Theatre, above Soho's Raymond Revuebar, and gained a cult following, with visiting audience members including Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, and Robin Williams, who once joined in the performance. [8] By the time French and Saunders became members of The Comic Strip, French was already working as a drama teacher, while Saunders was on the dole and spending much of her time in bed. [3]
The comedy group appeared on Channel 4's first night on air, in the first episode of The Comic Strip Presents: Five Go Mad In Dorset, broadcast on 2 November 1982. [1] [9] In the episodes "Bad News" and "More Bad News", Saunders plays a trashy rock journalist touring with the fictional heavy metal band, Bad News. [10] [11]
In 1985, Saunders starred in and co-wrote Girls on Top with French, Tracey Ullman, and Ruby Wax, which portrayed four eccentric women sharing a flat in London. [1] Saunders also appeared in Ben Elton's Happy Families where she played various members of the same family, including all four Fuddle sisters in the six-episode BBC situation comedy. Saunders starred in a Comic Strip film called The Supergrass, a parody of slick 1980s police dramas, directed by Peter Richardson. Saunders played Meryl Streep playing Arthur Scargill's wife in Strike, a Comic Strip spoof on the 1984 miners' strike. She appeared twice as a guest on The Young Ones . [1]
In 1987, she and French created French and Saunders , a popular sketch comedy series for the BBC which sporadically aired until 2007, often with long gaps between series. [12] Saunders also appeared in Amnesty International's The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball live benefit in 1989, along with Dawn French and others.[ citation needed ]
Saunders and French followed separate careers as well as irregularly maintaining their comedy sketch show. Saunders' biggest solo success has been Absolutely Fabulous , based largely on a 14-minute French & Saunders sketch called "Modern Mother and Daughter". Saunders and French were going to star together, but, just as the studio had been booked, French received a long-awaited phone call confirming an adoption agency had a baby for her to adopt. [4]
Saunders proceeded to star in the comedy. The series, which she wrote and starred in as the irresponsible fashion PR agent Edina Monsoon alongside Joanna Lumley, who played Patsy Stone, brought her international acclaim and attention. [1] The show ran for five full series, two telemovies, three special episodes, and a feature film over the course of twenty-four years from 1992 to 2016. [1] The series is also known as Ab Fab [3] and was broadcast in the United States on Comedy Central and BBC America, becoming cult viewing. [13]
Saunders has appeared on the American sitcoms Roseanne , playing Edina Monsoon in the episode "Satan, Darling", and Friends as Andrea Waltham, the step-mother of Emily, Ross Geller's fiancée, in the episodes "The One After Ross Says Rachel" and "The One with Ross's Wedding". Although they share no scenes, Jennifer's Absolutely Fabulous co-star June Whitfield also appeared in The One With Ross's Wedding Part Two as the Walthams' housekeeper. In 1999, she appeared alongside French in Let Them Eat Cake . [1]
I wanted to write something about the sort of community I was living in, why it works and how different it was. How life in the country didn't have to be sinister.
— Saunders on her motivations for creating Jam & Jerusalem [14]
Saunders wrote and starred in a comedy drama about a Women's Institute entitled Jam & Jerusalem , also known as Clatterford in the United States. The first series aired in 2006, the second in 2008, and the third in 2009 on BBC One. [15] The show starred David Mitchell, Sally Phillips, and Sue Johnston, as well as Dawn French and Joanna Lumley. [16]
In 2007, Saunders and psychologist Tanya Byron [4] wrote BBC Two's The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle about a neurotic daytime talk show host. The show ran for one series. Saunders played the eponymous character whose programme features crude headlines such as "Wife a slapper? Lie detector reveals all". [17]
Also in 2007, the final series of French & Saunders aired. A Bucket o' French & Saunders featured a compilation of old and new sketches and aired on BBC One in September 2007. It was the third show she had written in a year. [4] In 2008 and 2009, French & Saunders completed their final live tour, French & Saunders: Still Alive. [18]
Saunders appeared on the "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" segment of BBC Two's motoring show Top Gear , posting a lap time of 1:46.1s, making her the fifth-fastest guest ever in the car that was used at that time. A self-confessed petrolhead, she has a passion for Alfa Romeos and has so far owned four. [19]
In 2011, Saunders wrote and appeared in "Uptown Downstairs Abbey", the Comic Relief parody of the critically acclaimed historical television dramas Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs . Playing the Dowager Countess, she starred alongside Lumley, Kim Cattrall, Victoria Wood, Harry Enfield, Patrick Barlow, Dale Winton, Olivia Colman, Tim Vine, Simon Callow, Michael Gambon, and Harry Hill.[ citation needed ]
In 2012, Saunders guest-starred in Dead Boss , a BBC Three comedy set in the fictional Broadmarsh prison where she plays the cruel and work-shy governor, Margaret. [20] The show's creator, Sharon Horgan, stated that she 'begged' Saunders to take the role, having been a fan of Saunders' previous comedy work. [21]
She also wrote the script for the Spice Girls-based jukebox musical Viva Forever!
In 2013, Saunders starred as Lady Constance Keeble in the BBC adaptation of Blandings by P. G. Wodehouse. In 2017, Saunders appeared on the Simpsons episode "Looking for Mr. Goodbart" as an elderly woman accompanied around by Bart. [22]
Saunders has also appeared in several films, such as In the Bleak Midwinter (1995), Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Fanny & Elvis (1999), and also made cameo appearances in the Spice Girls' film Spice World (1997) and Absolument fabuleux (2001), a French film based on Absolutely Fabulous. [1] [23]
In the animated film, Shrek 2 (2004), she provided the voice of the Fairy Godmother and sang the songs "The Fairy Godmother Song" and "Holding Out for a Hero". Her part took only four days to record. [3] The sequel broke the first Shrek 's own box office record in the U.S in just a fortnight, [3] and it proceeded to make $353 million in just three weeks in the U.S. [24] Her role won the People's Choice Award for the best movie villain in 2005. [25]
She voiced Miss Spink in the animated film Coraline , in which her comedy partner Dawn French voiced a character called Miss Forcible. In 2015, she voiced Queen Elizabeth II in the animated film Minions, [26] [27] and in 2016, she voiced Miss Nana Noodleman in the animated film Sing , reprising the role again in Sing 2 .
In 2022 she starred in Death on the Nile as Marie Van Schuyler alongside Dawn French, Gal Gadot and Kenneth Branagh who also directed the film.
In 2018, Saunders appeared at the Vaudeville Theatre in the production of Lady Windermere's Fan as The Duchess of Berwick.
In June 2019, she appeared on stage in the production of Noël Coward's play, Blithe Spirit , as eccentric clairvoyant Madam Arcati. The show first opened at Theatre Royal Bath, and after a short tour of England it later transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre, London in March 2020. Two weeks into its run performances were cancelled due to the pandemic.
She reprised the role in autumn 2021 for eight weeks in the West End at The Harold Pinter Theatre.
In 2022, Saunders played the role of Mother Superior in Sister Act the Musical for six weeks at the Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, alongside Beverley Knight as Deloris Van Cartier.
In December 2023, Saunders made her pantomime debut as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the London Palladium alongside Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Rob Madge, Francis Mayli McCann and Louis Gaunt. [28]
Saunders, who grew up in nearby Acton Bridge, married Adrian Edmondson at Christ Church, Crowton, Cheshire on 11 May 1985. [29] At the wedding were Rik Mayall and Robbie Coltrane, whom the vicar, Rev Austin Oates, much to his surprise, described as 'delightful and charming'. The reception was held at Jennifer's parents. [30] Afterwards the couple visited Saint Lucia.
They have three daughters: singer-songwriter Ella Edmondson (b. 1986), actress Beattie Edmondson (b. 1987), and actress Freya Edmondson (b. 1990). They together have five grandchildren.
In July 2010, Saunders announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer the previous October, [31] and was in remission following a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. [32]
Saunders published her autobiography, Bonkers: My Life in Laughs, in October 2013. [33]
She is a patron for Smart Works Charity, a non-profit organisation supporting unemployed women into work through clothing and coaching. [34]
Along with Dawn French, Saunders declined an OBE in 2001. [35] [36]
In 2003, she was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. [37] Saunders was placed 93rd out of E!'s 100 Sexiest British Stars. She also came 18th for Best British Role Models for teenage girls in Britain according to Good Housekeeping Magazine .[ citation needed ]
Saunders was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Exeter in July 2007. [38] In July 2011, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Edge Hill University. [39]
In 2005, Saunders was named the fourth funniest woman in Britain in a poll of 4,000 women. [40] She has been nominated for and received many awards, including:
Year | Programme | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982–1984 | The Young Ones | Helen Mucus/Sue | 2 episodes: "Interesting" and "Time" |
1982–1998 2011–2012 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Various characters | Main cast 30 episodes (plus 6 specials) |
1983 | The Entertainers | Herself with Dawn French | 1 Episode |
1984 | Wogan | Guest, 1 Episode | |
The Lenny Henry Show | Various characters | 1 episode with Dawn French | |
1985 | Happy Families | Granny Fuddle/Joyce Fuddle/Cassie Fuddle/Madeleine Fuddle/Roxanne Fuddle | Main cast (6 episodes) |
1985–1986 | Girls on Top | Jennifer Marsh | 13 episodes |
1986 | Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger | Anita Harris | 1 segment , 'How to get off with a lady' |
1987–2007 | French and Saunders | Various characters | Main cast (48 episodes) |
1989 | Juke Box Jury | Panelist with Dawn French | 1 Episode |
1990 | Rita Rudner | 1 Episode | |
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson | Dorcas | TV movie | |
Good Morning Britain | Herself with Dawn French | Guest, 1 Episode | |
1990–1993 | Going Live! | Herself | Guest, 3 Episodes |
1991 | Clive Anderson Talks Back | Herself with Dawn French | Guest, 1 Episode |
1991–1992 | The Full Wax | Herself | Guest/Co Host, 4 Episodes |
1992–1996 2001–2004 2011–2012 | Absolutely Fabulous | Edina Monsoon | Also creator and writer 32 episodes (plus 7 aired specials) |
1993 | Prince Cinders | Fairy | Voice |
1995 | Queen of the East | Lady Hester Stanhope | |
1995–2006 | Jools' Annual Hootenanny | Guest, 3 Episodes | |
1996 | Roseanne | Edina Monsoon | 1 episode: "Satan, Darling" |
10th Annual American Comedy Awards | Presenter with Joanna Lumley | Presenting 'The Funniest Female Performer in a TV Series' Award | |
1997 | Light Lunch | Herself | Guest, 2 Episodes |
Dusty: Full Circle – The Life & Music of Dusty Springfield | Host with Dawn French | Documentary | |
1998 | Friends | Andrea Waltham | 2 episodes: "The One with Ross's Wedding: Part Two" and "The One After Ross Says Rachel" |
Late Lunch | Herself | Guest, 1 Episode | |
1999 | Let Them Eat Cake | Colombine, Comtesse de Vache | 6 episodes |
The Magician's House | The Rat | Voice | |
The Nearly Complete & Utter History of Everything | The Egg | 1 Episode with Dawn French | |
Live & Kicking | Herself | Guest, 2 Episodes | |
2000 | Mirrorball | Vivienne Keill | TV pilot. Also writer |
The Priory | Herself with Dawn French | Guest, 1 Episode | |
TFI Friday | |||
2000–2007 | Parkinson | Herself | Guest, 3 Episodes |
2002 | Pongwiffy | Sharkadder | Voice |
2004 | The Kumars at No. 42 | Herself | Guest, 1 Episode |
2006 | Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy | 3 Episodes | |
2006–2009 | Jam & Jerusalem | Caroline Martin | Also creator & writer |
2007 | The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle | Vivienne Vyle | 6 episodes |
2007–2016 | Top Gear | Herself | Guest, 2 Episodes |
2008 | The Paul O'Grady Show | Guest, 1 Episode | |
2008–2016 | Loose Women | Guest, 4 Episodes | |
2008–2020 | The Graham Norton Show | Guest, 9 Episodes | |
2008–2023 | The One Show | Guest, 6 Episodes | |
2011 | Jennifer Saunders: Laughing at the 90's | Herself/Presenter | C4 Documentary |
2011–2014 | This is Jinsy | Miss Reason | 11 Episodes |
2012 | Dead Boss | Governor Margaret | 6 episodes |
Jennifer Saunders: Back in the Saddle | Herself | 2 part Documentary | |
2013–2014 | Blandings | Lady Constance Keeble | 13 episodes |
Alan Carr: Chatty Man | Herself | Guest, 2 Episodes | |
2013–2016 | This Morning | ||
2013–2020 | Have I Got News for You | Guest Presenter, 5 Episodes | |
2014 | The Boy in the Dress | Miss Windsor | TV movie |
Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast | Herself | Guest with Adrian Edmondson | |
The Jonathan Ross Show | Guest, 1 Episode | ||
The Last Leg | |||
The Guess List | Panelist, 1 Episode | ||
2015 | Stick Man | Narrator | TV movie |
The Vicar of Dibley | Reverend Jen | Comic Relief Special | |
The Classic Car Show | Herself | 1 Episode | |
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off | Contestant | ||
Mel & Sue | Guest, 1 Episode | ||
A League of Their Own | Team Member, 1 Episode | ||
2015–2017 | Josh | Judith | 3 episodes |
2017 | The Simpsons | Phoebe | Voice, 1 episode: "Looking for Mr. Goodbart" |
Grandpa's Great Escape | Miss Dandy | TV movie | |
Saturday Kitchen | Herself | Guest | |
Joanna & Jennifer: Absolutely Champers [54] | Herself/co-presenter | One-off BBC Documentary, co-presented by Joanna Lumley | |
300 Year of French & Saunders | Special with Dawn French | 30th Anniversary Special | |
2018 | RHS Chelsea Flower Show | Herself | Presenter, 1 episode: "The A-Z of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show" |
2019 | Thunderbirds Are Go | Helen Shelby | Voice, 1 episode: "Deep Water" |
2019–2022 | Moominvalley | Mymble | Voice; 4 episodes |
2019–2021 | There's Something About Movies | Team Captain | Series 2–4 |
2020 | The Stranger | Heidi Doyle | Netflix mini-series |
Would I Lie to You? | Herself | Panelist | |
Richard Osman's House of Games | Contestant | ||
Jennifer Saunders' Memory Lane | Presenter | One-off ITV special | |
2021 | Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable | Herself | Guest |
French & Saunders: Funny Women | Special with Dawn French | UK Gold Special | |
Best Birthday Ever | Mother | Voice | |
Ghosts | Lavinia | Episode: "He Came!" | |
2022 | The Pentaverate | Maester of Dubrovnik/Saester of Dubrovnik | Netflix mini-series |
2023 | Intelligence | Joanna Telfer-Fotheringham | Episode: "A Special Agent Special" |
imagine… French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter | Herself | One-off documentary [55] | |
2024 | The Masked Singer | Herself | Guest Judge (series 5) [56] |
Celebrity Gogglebox | Herself; with Beattie Edmondson | Series 6 |
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | The Supergrass | Lesley Reynolds | The Comic Strip Presents |
1987 | Eat the Rich | Lady Caroline | The Comic Strip Presents |
1995 | In the Bleak Midwinter | Nancy Crawford | Cameo appearance |
1996 | Muppet Treasure Island | Mrs. Bluveridge | |
1997 | Spice World | Fashionable Woman | Cameo appearance |
1999 | Fanny & Elvis | Roanna | |
2001 | Absolument Fabuleux | Herself | French adaptation of the series; cameo appearance |
2004 | Shrek 2 | Fairy Godmother | Voice |
2006 | L'entente Cordiale | Gwendoline McFarlane | French film |
2009 | Coraline | Miss April Spink | Voice |
2015 | Minions | The Queen | Voice |
2016 | Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie | Edina Monsoon | Also writer |
Sing | Nana Noodleman | Voice | |
2018 | Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires | Dr. Alex Cular | Voice |
Patrick | Maureen | ||
2019 | Isn't It Romantic | Natalie's mother | Cameo appearance |
2021 | Sing 2 | Nana Noodleman | Voice |
2022 | Death on the Nile | Marie Van Schuyler | |
2023 | Allelujah | Sister Gilpin | |
Sumotherhood | DI Brookes | ||
2024 | Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps | Goose | Voice |
200% Wolf | Max | Voice | |
TBA | The Magic Faraway Tree | Grandma Thompson | Filming |
Absolutely Fabulous is a British television sitcom created and written by Jennifer Saunders, which premiered in 1992. It is based on the 1990 French and Saunders sketch "Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Saunders.
Dame June Rosemary Whitfield was an English radio, television and film actress.
French and Saunders is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders that originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1987 to 1993, and later on BBC One until 2017. It is also the name by which the performers are known when they appear elsewhere as a double act. The show was given one of the highest budgets in BBC history to create detailed spoofs and satires of popular culture, movies, celebrities, and art. French and Saunders continued to film holiday specials for the BBC, and both have been individually successful starring in other shows.
Murder Most Horrid is a British black comedy anthology series starring Dawn French. It was broadcast on BBC Two for four series runs, in 1991, 1994, 1996 and 1999.
Julia Sawalha is an English actress. She is best known for playing Saffron "Saffy" Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012). Her other television roles include as Lynda Day in Press Gang (1989–1993), as Hannah Greyshott in Second Thoughts (1991–1994), and its sequel series, Faith in the Future (1995–1998), Lydia Bennet in the television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1995), Georgina and Kid's vocal effects in Sheeep (2000–2001), Carla Borrego in Jonathan Creek (2001–2004), and Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume drama Lark Rise to Candleford (2008–2011). Her film credits include Buddy's Song (1991), The Wind in the Willows (1996), Chicken Run (2000) and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016).
The Comic Strip are a group of British comedians who came to prominence in the 1980s. They are known for their television series The Comic Strip Presents..., which was labelled as a pioneering example of the alternative comedy scene. The core members are Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Peter Richardson and Jennifer Saunders, with appearances by Keith Allen, Robbie Coltrane, Alexei Sayle and others.
Dawn Roma French is a British actress, comedian, and writer. She is known for writing and starring on the BBC sketch comedy series French and Saunders (1987–2007) with her best friend and comedy partner Jennifer Saunders, and playing the lead role of Geraldine Granger in the BBC sitcom The Vicar of Dibley (1994–2020). French has been nominated for seven BAFTA TV Awards and won a BAFTA Fellowship with Saunders in 2009.
The Vicar of Dibley is a British sitcom. It consists of three series, which aired on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2000, and several specials, the most recent of which aired on 23 December 2020. It is set in the fictional Oxfordshire village of Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1993 changes in the Church of England that permitted the ordination of women. Dawn French plays the lead role of vicar Geraldine Granger.
Robert Alexander Spiers was a Scottish television director and producer. He worked on many sitcoms, including Dad's Army and Are You Being Served?, and won two British Academy Television Awards for Fawlty Towers and Absolutely Fabulous. Spiers also directed the films That Darn Cat and Spice World, and Kevin of the North (2001).
Katherine Lucy Bridget Burke is an English actress and comedian. She appeared in sketch shows such as French and Saunders (1988–1999), played a recurring role as Magda on the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012), and performed frequent collaborations with fellow comedian Harry Enfield. From 1999 to 2001, she starred as Linda La Hughes on the BBC sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme, for which she received a British Comedy Award and two BAFTA nominations.
Julia Charlotte L. Davis is an English actress, comedian, director and writer. She is known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night (2004–2005) and the comedies Hunderby (2012–2015) and Camping (2016), which she also directed. Davis has been noted by critics for creating boundary-pushing black comedy that centres female anti-hero characters.
The Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo who enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s, featuring in their own television shows and making pop records. Since this period, they have also regularly appeared in pantomime. The duo comprises wife Janette Tough and her husband Ian. As the Krankies they portray schoolboy Wee Jimmy Krankie (Janette), and paternal figure Ian Krankie (Ian), though in their comedy act they also portray other characters. Beginning in the 1990s, they regularly appeared as the Krankies in episodes of the BBC comedy series French and Saunders. Wee Jimmy Krankie often used the catchphrase exclamation "Fandabidozi!"
Helen Margaret Lederer is a British comedian, writer and actress who emerged as part of the alternative comedy boom at the beginning of the 1980s. Among her television credits are the BBC2 sketch series Naked Video and BBC One's Absolutely Fabulous, in which she played the role of Catriona.
Miranda Hart Dyke is an English actress, comedian and writer. Following drama training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Hart began writing material for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and making appearances in BBC sitcoms, including Hyperdrive (2006–2007) and Not Going Out (2006–2009).
Mandie Elizabeth Fletcher is a British television and film director.
The first series of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC Two on 12 November 1992 and concluded on 17 December 1992, consisting of six episodes. The sitcom was created and written by Jennifer Saunders, who starred in the title role of Edina Monsoon, a heavy-drinking, smoking, and drug-abusing PR agent who has dedicated most of her life to looking "fabulous" and desperately attempts to stay young. Edina is nicknamed 'Eddie' by her best friend, Patsy Stone, a magazine editor who constantly takes advantage of Edina by living the life of luxury in Edina's extravagant home. Edina is a twice-divorced mother of two. Her eldest child, a son, Serge, left home many years before in order to escape his mother's clutches. Her long-suffering daughter, Saffron 'Saffy', whom Edina is reliant upon, is a sixth form student and remains at home. The series also includes Edina's sweet-natured-but-slightly-batty mother, whom Edina sees as an interfering burden, and Edina's dim-witted assistant Bubble.
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is a 2016 comedy film directed by Mandie Fletcher, written by Jennifer Saunders and based on the television series Absolutely Fabulous. It stars Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks, reprising their roles from the series. The film finds the drug-addicted, alcoholic PR agent Edina Monsoon and her best friend/codependent Patsy Stone on the run from the authorities after it is suspected they killed supermodel Kate Moss. The film serves as a de facto series finale for the show.
The fifth and final series of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous premiered on BBC One on 17 October 2003 and concluded on 24 December 2003, consisting of eight episodes. A Christmas special, "White Box", followed the fifth series and was broadcast in 2004. Though no further series have followed, three specials were broadcast several years later to mark the show's 20th anniversary for 2012.
Absolutely Fabulous: 20th Anniversary is a set of three special episodes of the British television sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. It was broadcast on BBC One between 25 December 2011 and 23 July 2012 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the series, which debuted in 1992.
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