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).

Series: 5
Episodes: 36
Transmitted: 1992-96; 2001-5
Channel: BBC2 / BBC1

BBC Television