Jennifer Saunders
Acting1958Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, UK
Biography
Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English comedienne, screenwriter, singer and actress. She has won two BAFTAs, an International Emmy Award, a British Comedy Award, a Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival Award, two Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards, and a Peoples Choice Award.
She first came into widespread attention in the 1980s and early 1990s when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Central School of Speech and Drama. Along with her comedy partner Dawn French, she writes and stars in their eponymous sketch show, French & Saunders, and has received international acclaim for writing and playing the lead role of Edina Monsoon in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.
In her other work, she has guest starred in the American sitcoms Roseanne and Friends, and won the American People's Choice Award for voicing the wicked Fairy Godmother in DreamWorks' animated Shrek 2. More recently, she wrote and starred in Jam & Jerusalem and The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle.
Known For
Acting History
Future
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
as Badsister 1
2026
2025
Too Much
TVas Fiona• 1 eps
2024
200% Wolf
as Max (voice)
We Work for the Dead
as The Mother (voice)
Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps
as The Goose (voice)
Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
as Self (archive footage)
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
as Self / Edina "Eddie" Monsoon
Moominvalley
TVas Mymble• 1 eps
Only Child
TVas Sally
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
Executive Producer
2023
Sumotherhood
as DI Brookes
Allelujah
as Sister Gilpin
Dawn French Is a Huge Twat
as Self (uncredited)
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
as Self - Featured Artist
2022
The Best Birthday Ever
as Mother (voice)
Death on the Nile
as Marie Van Schuyler
The Pentaverate
TVas Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik
Fantasy Football League
TVas Themselves
2021
Sing 2
as Nana (voice)
Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable
TVas Self• 1 eps
2020
The Stranger
TVas Heidi Doyle• 8 eps
Would I Lie to You?
TVas Self• 1 eps
Richard Osman's House of Games Night
TVas Self
2019
Isn't It Romantic
as Natalie's Mother
Completely Bad News
as Sally
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again
as Meryl Streep / Cher
There's Something About Movies
TVas Self - Team Captain
2018
Grandpa's Great Escape
as Miss Dandy
Patrick The Pug
as Maureen
Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires
as Dr. Alex Cular
Lady Windermere's Fan
as The Duchess of Berwick
2017
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
as Self - Presenter
Comic Relief: Red Nose Day
as Self
Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief
TVas Self - Judge
The Simpsons
TVas Phoebe Pratt (voice)• 1 eps
2016
Sing
as Nana (voice)
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
as Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
as Edina Monsoon
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
TVas Self - Participant• 1 eps
Insert Name Here
TVas Self - Panelist
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Screenplay
2014
The Boy in the Dress
as Miss Windsor
Have I Got News for You
TVas Self - Hostess• 4 eps
The Last Leg
TVas Self• 1 eps
2013
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
TVas Self - Panellist• 1 eps
Blandings
TVas Lady Constance Keeble
Gogglebox
TVas Self
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off
TVas Self - Contestant
2012
Five Go to Rehab
as Anne
Dead Boss
TVas Governor Margaret
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
TVas Self - Host
2010
2009
Coraline
as Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TVas Self - Guest
2008
The Graham Norton Show
TVas Self• 10 eps
2007
Top Gear
TVas Self - Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car / Self• 1 eps
2006
L'Entente cordiale
as Gwendoline McFarlane
Jam and Jerusalem
TVas Caroline Martin
Jam and Jerusalem
TVWriter
2004
Shrek 2
as Fairy Godmother (voice)
Bottom Mindless Violence
as Helen Mucus / Anita Harris (archive footage) (uncredited)
2002
2001
Absolutely Fabulous
as Une spectatrice du défilé
Absolutely Fabulous
Writer
2000
Mirrorball
as Vivienne Keill
French & Saunders - Live
as Various roles
Parkinson
TVas Self• 2 eps
Mirrorball
Writer
Mirrorball
Creator
French & Saunders - Live
Writer
1999
1998
Absolutely Fabulous: A Life
as Edina "Eddy" Monsoon
Four Men in a Car
as Helen
Friends
TVas Andrea Waltham• 2 eps
1997
Spice World
as Fashionable Woman
1996
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
as Edina Monsoon
Muppet Treasure Island
as Mrs. Bluveridge
1995
In the Bleak Midwinter
as Nancy
How to Be Absolutely Fabulous
as Self / Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (archive footage)
1994
Dusty
as Self - Presenter
French and Saunders' Christmas Carol
as Various Roles
1993
Prince Cinders
as Fairy (voice)
Jealousy
as Jane/Margory
Space Virgins from Planet Sex
as Needle
Demonella
as The Devil
1992
Wild Turkey
as Neighbour
Red Nose of Courage
as Margaret Thatcher
Absolutely Fabulous
TVas Edina• 34 eps
Absolutely Fabulous
TVWriter• 34 eps
Absolutely Fabulous
TVCreator
1991
1990
GLC: The Carnage Continues
as Brigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
as Dorcas
Spaghetti Hoops
as Maria
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1
as Cathy
Oxford
as Hannah
Going Live!
TVas Self• 2 eps
1988
The Strike
as Meryl Streep as Mrs Scargill
More Bad News
as Sally
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
as Monica
French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88
as Various Characters
Roseanne
TVas Edina Monsoon
An Audience with...
TVas Self• 2 eps
The Storyteller
TVas Badsister 1• 1 eps
1987
Eat the Rich
as Lady Caroline
The Silurian Disruption
as Silurian #2
French & Saunders
TVas Various Characters• 39 eps
The Silurian Disruption
Writer
French & Saunders
TVWriter• 1 eps
French & Saunders
TVCreator
1985
The Supergrass
as Lesley Reynolds
Happy Families
as Granny / Cassie / Madeleine / Joyce / Roxanne Fuddle
Happy Families
TVas Granny Fuddle
Girls On Top
TVas Jennifer
Girls On Top
TVWriter
1984
Susie
as Lorna
Dirty Movie
as June
Slags
as Little Sister
A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques
as Shona
Gino: Full Story and Pics
as Angie
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?
as Doreen
The Young Ones
TVas Helen Mucus• 1 eps
Slags
Writer
1983
Bad News
as Sally
War
as Various Roles
Summer School
as Liz
The Beat Generation
as Anne
Five Go Mad on Mescalin
as Anne
1982
Five Go Mad in Dorset
as Anne
The Comic Strip Presents...
TVas Anne / Cathy / Sally / Ice Maiden / Meryl Streep / Monica / Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider / Debbie / Lorna / June / Liz / Doreen / Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk / Jessica / Hannah / Little Sister / Angie / Maria• 31 eps
Wogan
TVas Self
The Comic Strip Presents...
TVWriter
1981
1976
The Secret Policeman's Ball
TVas Self