Lesley Diana Joseph (born 14 October 1945) is an English actress and broadcaster, whose career on stage and screen spans over sixty years. She is best known for portraying the role of Dorien Green in the television sitcom Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998 and again from 2014 to 2020. Other television credits include Absurd Person Singular (1985) and Night and Day (2001–2003).
In 2004, she appeared as Evy Meara in a tour of The Gingerbread Lady.[9] She also performed in the UK tour of The Vagina Monologues, and again in 2006.[10] In 2011, Joseph appeared as Chris in the stage show Calendar Girls, based on the film of the same name.[11] She returned to the stage show eight years later in the role of Jessie.[12] In 2014, Joseph starred as Myra Wilson in the UK Tour of Hot Flush!.[13][14]
Between 2022 and 2024, Joseph starred in Sister Act: The Musical, playing the roles of Sister Mary Lazarus and Mother Superior.[17] Between 2024 and 2025, she appeared as Grandma in the UK tour of The Addams Family.[18]
From 1989 to 1998, Joseph starred as Dorien Green in the BBC One sitcom Birds of a Feather. Joseph's character was the wealthy, snobbish, man-eating neighbour of Sharon Theodopolopodous (Pauline Quirke) and Tracey Stubbs (Linda Robson), a middle-aged woman who strives to create the impression that she is a glamorous beauty, dressing in a sexually provocative style, preferring mini-skirts, high heels and leopard print. Dorien was married to an accountant, Marcus, but frequently engaged in affairs with other men.[19]
In December 2011, it was confirmed that Joseph would reunite with fellow Birds of a Feather cast members, Quirke and Robson, for a theatre adaptation of the series. The trio toured the United Kingdom from May to July 2012.[20] Following the success of the stage adaption, a new series of Birds of a Feather was commissioned after the rights had been acquired by ITV. The new series began airing on 2 January 2014 for eight episodes. To promote the return of the series, Joseph, Quirke and Robson appeared as guest panellists on Loose Women on 16 January 2014.[21]
In March 2015, it was confirmed that a second series of Birds of a Feather had been commissioned by ITV which began airing in December. Following this, a third series was commissioned and aired in early 2016,[22] Joseph appeared in three more Christmas specials airing in 2016, 2017 and 2020 respectively, before the show's cancellation was announced in May 2021.[23]
In 2009, she became a regular newspaper reviewer on This Morning. She appeared in the 2014 series Secrets of the Asylum, a two-part series for ITV. In 2015, Joseph took part in ITV's celebrity sheep herding series Flockstars.[26]
Joseph began presenting a radio show in 2008 on BBC London 94.9 with Christopher Biggins, airing every Sunday between 9am to 12noon. Biggins left the show after a few months, however Joseph has continued to host. She also stood in for Vanessa Feltz on her weekday morning talk show whilst Feltz was on holiday.[36]
Personal life
Joseph lives in London.[37] She has two children, a son and a daughter, from a relationship with Carl Littlejohn.[38][39]
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