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Absolutely Fabulous

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Summary

Absolutely Fabulous began as a short sketch in a French And Saunders TV programme, with Jennifer Saunders as the mother and Dawn French as the daughter.

Jennifer Saunders later developed the idea into a six-part series for BBC Television. Two further series and a two-part special followed.

The "special" (The Last Shout) was supposed to mark the end of the programme. However, Jennifer Saunders was writing the scripts for a new sitcom (Mirrorball) during 2001 and found that "the main characters kept turning into Edina and Patsy". As a result, a fourth series of Absolutely Fabulous was produced after a five-year gap. Series 5 was transmitted during 2003.

Jennifer Saunders plays Edina Monsoon, a fortyish PR person with a daughter Saffron (Julia Sawalha) who is much more mature and "together" than her mother. Edina spends most of her time with her best friend Patsy (Joanna Lumley).

Other regular characters are Edina's mother (June Whitfield) and Edina's dimwitted assistant, Bubble (Jane Horrocks).

Cast List

  Jennifer Saunders as Edina Monsoon
  Joanna Lumley as Patsy Stone
  Julia Sawalha as Saffron Monsoon
  June Whitfield as Edina's Mother
  Jane Horrocks as Bubble
  Kathy Burke as Maggie
  Mo Gaffney as Bo
  Helen Lederer as Catriona
  Christopher Malcolm as Justin
  Christopher Ryan as Marshall
  Harriet Thorpe as Fleur
  Jane Horrocks as Katy Grin (Series 4-5)

Production Details

Written by:
Jennifer Saunders

Directed by:
Bob Spiers

Produced by:
John Plowman

5 series, 36 episodes

Transmitted: 1992-96; 2001-5

TV Channel: BBC2 / BBC1

BBC Television

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