The idea for “Ab Fab” originated in a French and Saunders sketch
Stars of ‘Absolutely Fabulous’: Jane Horrocks, June Whitfield, Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders, 6th January 1993. (Image: Mirrorpix)
The first episode of Jennifer Saunders’ sitcom, Absolutely Fabulous, aired on November 12 1992. The show was a huge success and created many memorable characters, who are still quoted to this day and used as fancy dress inspirations.
Sharp and witty writing was a huge part of the show and something that the audience could easily relate with. The show’s writing playfully joked about the excesses and superficiality of the fashion and media world. It also highlighted the importance of friendship, despite being a comedy.
The idea for “Ab Fab” originated in a French and Saunders sketch about a needy modern mum desperate to show her more sensible daughter how cool she was. The series delved into the world of fashion and PR, taking aim at the rising celebrity culture.
While the show ended after five series, specials have since been produced and even a movie in 2016. The sitcom helped to boost women’s comedy massively and remains influential to comedy and television.
BBC said the “immediate success” of the comedy was aided by the inspired casting of the ensemble. All of the cast are now household names, with some careers being rocketed by the Absolutely Fabulous role.
The show ran from 1992 to 1996, followed by a revival from 2001 to 2004, and then a return to mark the show’s 20th anniversary, from 2011 to 2012. In 2016, the Absolutely Fabulous movie was released.
Jennifer co-stars alongside on-screen best friend Joanna Lumley as Patsy, Julia Sawalha as geeky daughter Saffy, June Whitfield as Eddy’s mum, and Jane Horrocks, who plays fashion assistant, Bubbles. We have rounded up the main characters from the show and where they are now:
Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Saunders (Image: 2025 Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Jennifer found fame before Absolutely Fabulous, but writing and playing her character Edina Monsoon on the comedy show had a huge positive impact on the career of the actress. The first three series of Absolutely Fabulous were broadcast on the BBC from 1992 to 1995.
In 2000, the show was ranked number 17 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes by the British Film Institute. The 67-year-old has appeared in many memorable roles throughout her long career. In 2007, Jennifer and psychologist Tanya Byron wrote BBC Two’s The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle about a neurotic daytimetalk show host.
In the same year the final series of French & Saunders aired. Marking an end of a chapter for the famous comedy duo. The comedian even appeared in an episode of The Simpsons in 2017, as an elderly woman taken care of by Bart.
She also played the fairy godmother in Shrek and voiced Miss Nana Noodleman in the animated film Sing, reprising the role again in Sing 2. In 2022, Jennifer reunited with comedy partner Dawn French to star in blockbuster movie ‘Death on the Nile’ as Van Schuyler.
Jennifer has many theatre credits to her name and in December 2023, made her pantomime debut as Captain Hook in Peter Pan. Alongside Dawn French, in 2001, the comedian refused an OBE. She has been married to fellow comedian Ade Edmondson since 1985 and the couple have three daughters together.
Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lumley attends the “Wednesday” Season 2, Part 1 Global Premiere (Image: 2025 Karwai Tang/Getty)
Dame Joanna Lumley won two BAFTA awards for playing the iconic role of the wild fashion director Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous. In 2013, she was the recipient of the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards.
Away from Absolutely fabulous, Joanna has often played upper-class parts due to her distinctive voice and accent. She has worked with Tim Burton on two film projects, in James and the Giant Peach (1996) and Corpse Bride (2005), and in 2013, took a Hollywood role as she appeared in the Martin Scorsese movie, The Wolf of Wall Street as ‘aunt’ Emma.
In recent years, she had been involved in a number of travel series for ITV. In 2015 she presented a three-part factual series for ITV called Joanna Lumley’s Trans-Siberian Adventure. In 2018, she presented Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure, a four-part travelogue covering eight countries which were part of the ancient trade route.
The actress landed a role in one of Netflix’s hottest shows, Wednesday. The recently released new series features Joanna as Grandmama Hester Frump. She is the mum of Morticia Addams and Ophelia Frump. Joanna attended the Westminster Premiere of the series this month.
The star was given Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. The 79-year-old is married to the conductor Stephen Barlow, they wed in 1986. Joanna has a son, Jamie, born in 1967. His dad is the photographer Michael Claydon.
Julia Sawalha
Julia Sawalha attends the Raindance Opening Gala 2018 held at Vue(Image: 2018 Getty Images)
Julia is best known for the role she played in Absolutely Fabulous. She played Saffron “Saffy” Monsoon. She has also appeared in other roles you may recognise.
In 2014, Julia played the part of Jan Ward in BBC One’s thriller miniseries Remember Me and in 2016, she appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders, and reprised her role as Saffy Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.
In July 2020, she made a statement revealing Aardman Animations intended to recast her character of Ginger in the sequel to Chicken Run, stating that she is now considered to sound too old, she said: “I have officially been plucked, stuffed & roasted”
Last year, the actress appeared in the Masked Singer as the character ‘Bubble Tea’. She was eliminated in week four after a sing-off against Owl. Her on-screen Absolutely Fabulous mum, Jennifer Saunders was a guest judge on the show.
Jane Horrocks
Jane Horrocks(Image: PA)
Jane portrayed Bubble and Katy Grin in Absolutely Fabulous. However, her most memorable role was probably for Little Voice, the stage production and subsequent movie.
She received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for the role, winning an Olivier award for best actress. Aside from this, Jane has an impressive catalogue of movies she has appeared in.
These include: The Witches, Corpse Bride and Chicken Run. She also appeared in Sky One sitcom Trollied as Deputy Manager Julie until 2015.
In August 2024, she starred as Meg in Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party at the Ustinov Studio. Jane is currently involved in various acting projects, including voice work and stage performances.
Jane has two children with her former partner, playwright Nick Vivian. They were together for 21 years, separating in 2017.
Helen Lederer
Helen Lederer attends the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards 2023(Image: Getty Images)
Helen played Catriona on the comedy series Absolutely Fabulous. She had previously worked with Jennifer Saunders and her comedy partner Dawn French in their sketch show French and Saunders.
In October 2013, she played the midwife Mariam in Hollyoaks who was responsible for a baby-swap scandal, a role she reprised in 2015 before being killed off by the “Gloved Hand Killer”. In February 2015, Helen appeared, as grieving widow Safia in Doctors. She has also appeared on Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity Big Brother and Countdown.
Last year Helen released her memoir titled Not That I’m Bitter: A Truly, Madly, Funny Memoir. In recent years, she has had TV roles and stage roles. This year the comedian featured in the BBC series Pilgrimage and joined the cast in the London West End stage adaptation of Fawlty Towers as the character Mrs Richards.
June Whitfield
June Whitfield(Image: PA)
The legendary June Whitfield played Edina Monsoon’s mum in Absolutely Fabulous, known simply as “Mother”. The actress was an icon of British television, earning her first acting credit in the 1950s.
Her break came with the radio comedy Take It from Here, which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. Television roles followed as she starred in four Carry On movies. These are Carry On Nurse (1959), Carry On Abroad (1972), Carry On Girls (1973) and Carry On Columbus (1992).
In the sitcom “Terry and June”, June played the character June Medcalfe, the wife of Terry Medcalfe (played by Terry Scott). She also played a regular character in Last of the Summer Wine (2005–2010) and a recurring character in The Green Green Grass (2007–2009).
In December 2009, she was the subject of an entire evening’s tribute programming on BBC Two. The broadcaster recognised the dedication and talents of the actress and her services to television. In the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama and entertainment, June became a Dame.
June died in December 2018 aged 93. The funeral was attended by many of her family, co-stars and personal friends.