Jennifer Saunders

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

The Simpsons

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Friends

The Graham Norton Show

Top Gear

Top Gear

Coraline

Have I Got News for You

All Movies (110)

• Virginia Woolf's Night & Day2026 · as Mrs Hilbery
• People's Emergency Briefing2026
• The Magic Faraway Tree2026 · as Grandma
• Becoming Victoria Wood2026 · as Self
• Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out2024 · as Self / Edina "Eddie" Monsoon
• Kirsty MacColl at the BBC2024 · as Self (archive footage)
• Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps2024 · as The Goose (voice)
• 200% Wolf2024 · as Max (voice)
• We Work for the Dead2024 · as The Mother (voice)
• Dawn French Is a Huge Twat2023 · as Self (uncredited)
• imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter2023 · as Self - Featured Artist
• Sumotherhood2023 · as DI Brookes
• Allelujah2023 · as Sister Gilpin
• Death on the Nile2022 · as Marie Van Schuyler
• The Best Birthday Ever2022 · as Mother (voice)
• Sing 22021 · as Nana (voice)
• French & Saunders: Funny Women2021 · as Self
• Completely Bad News2019 · as Sally
• Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again2019 · as Meryl Streep / Cher
• Isn't It Romantic2019 · as Natalie's Mother
• Patrick2018 · as Maureen
• Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires2018 · as Dr. Alex Cular
• Lady Windermere's Fan2018 · as The Duchess of Berwick
• Grandpa's Great Escape2018 · as Miss Dandy
• 300 Years of French & Saunders2017
• Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers2017 · as Self - Presenter
• Comic Relief: Red Nose Day2017 · as Self
• Sing2016 · as Nana (voice)
• British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves2016 · as Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
• We Love Sitcom2016
• Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie2016 · as Edina Monsoon
• Stick Man2015 · as Narrator (voice)
• Minions2015 · as Reine Elizabeth II (voice)
• The Boy in the Dress2014 · as Miss Windsor
• The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever!2012 · as Self
• Five Go to Rehab2012 · as Anne
• 30 Years of Comic Strip2012
• The Hunt for Tony Blair2011 · as Lady Thatcher
• French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years2011
• Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders2011
• Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline'2009 · as Self
• Coraline2009 · as Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
• French & Saunders: Still Alive2008 · as Self
• L'Entente cordiale2006 · as Gwendoline McFarlane
• Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?2004 · as Self
• Bottom Mindless Violence2004 · as Helen Mucus / Anita Harris (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Shrek 22004 · as Fairy Godmother (voice)
• The Best of French & Saunders2002 · as Various
• Absolutely Fabulous2001 · as Une spectatrice du défilé
• Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl2001 · as Self
• Mirrorball2000 · as Vivienne Keill
• French & Saunders - Live2000 · as Various roles
• Fanny & Elvis1999 · as Roanna
• It’s Lulu1999 · as Self
• Absolutely Fabulous: A Life1998 · as Edina "Eddy" Monsoon
• Four Men in a Car1998 · as Helen
• Spice World1997 · as Fashionable Woman
• Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout1996 · as Edina Monsoon
• Muppet Treasure Island1996 · as Mrs. Bluveridge
• In the Bleak Midwinter1995 · as Nancy
• How to Be Absolutely Fabulous1995 · as Self / Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (archive footage)
• French and Saunders' Christmas Carol1994 · as Various Roles
• Dusty1994 · as Self - Presenter
• Prince Cinders1993 · as Fairy (voice)
• Jealousy1993 · as Jane/Margory
• Demonella1993 · as The Devil
• Space Virgins from Planet Sex1993 · as Needle
• French & Saunders: At the Movies1993
• Wild Turkey1992 · as Neighbour
• Red Nose of Courage1992 · as Margaret Thatcher
• Amnesty International's Big 301991 · as Self
• The Tale of Little Pig Robinson1990 · as Dorcas
• French & Saunders LIVE1990
• Spaghetti Hoops1990 · as Maria
• Oxford1990 · as Hannah
• South Atlantic Raiders: Part 11990 · as Cathy
• South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!1990 · as Cathy
• GLC: The Carnage Continues1990 · as Brigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden
• The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball1989 · as Self
• Employees From Hell1989
• Communicators From Hell1989
• Customer Service From Hell1989
• Colleagues From Hell1989
• French And Saunders - Christmas Special '881988 · as Various Characters
• An Audience With Victoria Wood1988 · as Self
• The Storyteller: Sapsorrow1988 · as Badsister 1
• Mr Jolly Lives Next Door1988 · as Monica
• More Bad News1988 · as Sally
• The Strike1988 · as Meryl Streep as Mrs Scargill
• Eat the Rich1987 · as Lady Caroline
• The Silurian Disruption1987 · as Silurian #2
• Comedians Do It On Stage1986 · as Self
• Private Enterprise1986 · as Debbie
• Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)1986 · as Jessica
• Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger1986
• The Supergrass1985 · as Lesley Reynolds
• Happy Families1985 · as Granny / Cassie / Madeleine / Joyce / Roxanne Fuddle
• Slags1984 · as Little Sister
• Eddie Monsoon - a Life?1984 · as Doreen
• Gino: Full Story and Pics1984 · as Angie
• A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques1984 · as Shona
• Susie1984 · as Lorna
• Dirty Movie1984 · as June
• Five Go Mad on Mescalin1983 · as Anne
• Summer School1983 · as Liz
• Bad News1983 · as Sally
• The Beat Generation1983 · as Anne
• War1983 · as Various Roles
• Five Go Mad in Dorset1982 · as Anne
• The Comic Strip1981

All TV Shows (76)

• The Claudia Winkleman Show2026 · as Self
• Too Much2025 · as Fiona
• Only Child2024 · as Sally
• Fantasy Football League2022 · as Themselves
• The Pentaverate2022 · as Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik
• Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable2021 · as Self
• Richard Osman's House of Games Night2020 · as Self
• The Stranger2020 · as Heidi Doyle
• Celebrity Gogglebox2019 · as Self
• There's Something About Movies2019 · as Self - Team Captain
• Moominvalley2019 · as Mymble
• Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief2017 · as Self - Judge
• Insert Name Here2016 · as Self - Panelist
• Josh2015 · as Judith
• Gogglebox2013 · as Self
• The Last Leg2013 · as Self
• The Great Comic Relief Bake Off2013 · as Self - Contestant
• Blandings2013 · as Lady Constance Keeble
• Dead Boss2012 · as Governor Margaret
• The Great Sport Relief Bake Off2012 · as Self - Host
• Celebrity Antiques Road Trip2011 · as Self - Participant
• This Is Jinsy2010
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle2007
• A Bucket O' French and Saunders2007
• Would I Lie to You?2007 · as Self
• The Graham Norton Show2007 · as Self
• Jam and Jerusalem2006 · as Caroline Martin
• Top Gear2002 · as Self - Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car
• Top Gear2002 · as Self
• Pongwiffy2002
• The Magician's House1999 · as The Rat (voice)
• Let Them Eat Cake1999
• Parkinson1998 · as Self
• Friends1994 · as Andrea Waltham
• Absolutely Fabulous1992 · as Edina Monsoon
• Have I Got News for You1990 · as Self
• Have I Got News for You1990 · as Self - Hostess
• Rita Rudner1990
• The Simpsons1989 · as Phoebe Pratt (voice)
• Roseanne1988 · as Edina Monsoon
• The Storyteller1988 · as Badsister 1
• Comic Relief1988
• Going Live!1987 · as Self
• French & Saunders1987 · as Various Characters
• Omnibus Presents Comic Relief1986
• The Dangerous Brothers1986
• Girls On Top1985 · as Jennifer
• Happy Families1985 · as Granny Fuddle
• The Young Ones1982 · as Sue
• The Young Ones1982 · as Helen Mucus
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Anne
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as June
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Angie
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Meryl Streep
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Sally
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Liz
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Lorna
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Jessica
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Doreen
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Debbie
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Little Sister
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Monica
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Ice Maiden
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Cathy
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Hannah
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982 · as Maria
• The Comic Strip Presents...1982
• Wogan1982 · as Self
• An Audience with...1978 · as Self
• The Secret Policeman's Ball1976 · as Self
• Omnibus1967
• Have I Got a Bit More News for You— · as Self - Presenter
• Have I Got a Bit More News for You— · as Self - Panellist