ACTOR
Jennifer Saunders
Known for The Simpsons · Friends · Sing 2
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…
Snapshot 2026-10-15
- Born
- Jul 6, 1958
- Birthplace
- Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, UK
- Known For
- Acting
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.
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Known For
TV
The SimpsonsPhoebe Pratt (voice) · 1989
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
TV
FriendsAndrea Waltham · 1994
★ 8.4
★ 8.4
MOVIE
Sing 2Nana (voice) · 2021
★ 7.8
★ 7.8
TV
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf - Guest · 2015
★ 6.1
★ 6.1
TV
The Graham Norton ShowSelf · 2007
★ 7.2
★ 7.2
TV
The StorytellerBadsister 1 · 1988
★ 8.2
★ 8.2
TV
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest · 2009
★ 5.0
★ 5.0
TV
Have I Got News for YouSelf · 1990
★ 7.1
★ 7.1
Filmography
Movies
The Comic Strip
1981The Comic StripWriter
1981
Five Go Mad in DorsetAnne
1982
Bad NewsSally
1983
Five Go Mad on MescalinAnne
1983
Summer SchoolLiz
1983
The Beat GenerationAnne
1983
WarVarious Roles
1983
A Fistful of Travellers' ChequesShona
1984
Dirty MovieJune
1984
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?Doreen
1984
Gino: Full Story and PicsAngie
1984
SlagsLittle Sister
1984SlagsWriter
1984
SusieLorna
1984
The SupergrassLesley Reynolds
1985
Comedians Do It On StageSelf
1986
Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)Jessica
1986Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)Writer
1986
Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger
1986
Private EnterpriseDebbie
1986
Eat the RichLady Caroline
1987TS
The Silurian DisruptionSilurian #2
1987TS
The Silurian DisruptionWriter
1987
An Audience With Victoria WoodSelf
1988
French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88Various Characters
1988French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88Writer
1988
More Bad NewsSally
1988
Mr Jolly Lives Next DoorMonica
1988
The Storyteller: SapsorrowBadsister 1
1988
The StrikeMeryl Streep as Mrs Scargill
1988
Colleagues From Hell
1989
Communicators From Hell
1989
Customer Service From Hell
1989
Employees From Hell
1989
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest BallSelf
1989
French & Saunders LIVE
1990
GLC: The Carnage ContinuesBrigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden
1990
OxfordHannah
1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!Cathy
1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1Cathy
1990
Spaghetti HoopsMaria
1990
The Tale of Little Pig RobinsonDorcas
1990
Amnesty International's Big 30Self
1991
Red Nose of CourageMargaret Thatcher
1992
Wild TurkeyNeighbour
1992
DemonellaThe Devil
1993
French & Saunders: At the Movies
1993
JealousyJane/Margory
1993
Prince CindersFairy (voice)
1993
Space Virgins from Planet SexNeedle
1993
DustySelf - Presenter
1994
French and Saunders' Christmas CarolVarious Roles
1994French and Saunders' Christmas CarolWriter
1994
How to Be Absolutely FabulousSelf / Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (archive footage)
1995How to Be Absolutely FabulousWriter
1995
In the Bleak MidwinterNancy
1995
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last ShoutEdina Monsoon
1996Absolutely Fabulous: The Last ShoutWriter
1996
Muppet Treasure IslandMrs. Bluveridge
1996
Spice WorldFashionable Woman
1997
Absolutely Fabulous: A LifeEdina "Eddy" Monsoon
1998Absolutely Fabulous: A LifeWriter
1998
Four Men in a CarHelen
1998
Fanny & ElvisRoanna
1999
It’s LuluSelf
1999
French & Saunders - LiveVarious roles
2000French & Saunders - LiveWriter
2000
MirrorballVivienne Keill
2000MirrorballWriter
2000MirrorballCreator
2000
Absolutely FabulousUne spectatrice du défilé
2001Absolutely FabulousWriter
2001
Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacCollSelf
2001
The Best of French & SaundersVarious
2002The Best of French & SaundersWriter
2002
Bottom Mindless ViolenceHelen Mucus / Anita Harris (archive footage) (uncredited)
2004
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?Self
2004
Shrek 2Fairy Godmother (voice)
2004
L'Entente cordialeGwendoline McFarlane
2006
French & Saunders: Still AliveSelf
2008French & Saunders: Still AliveWriter
2008
CoralineMiss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
2009
Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline'Self
2009
French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years
2011
Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders
2011
The Hunt for Tony BlairLady Thatcher
2011
30 Years of Comic Strip
2012
Five Go to RehabAnne
2012
The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever!Self
2012
The Boy in the DressMiss Windsor
2014
MinionsThe Queen (voice)
2015
Stick ManNarrator (voice)
2015
Absolutely Fabulous: The MovieEdina Monsoon
2016Absolutely Fabulous: The MovieScreenplay
2016
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at OurselvesComedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
2016
SingNana (voice)
2016WL
We Love Sitcom
2016
300 Years of French & Saunders
2017
Comic Relief: Red Nose DaySelf
2017
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely ChampersSelf - Presenter
2017
Chuck Steel: Night of the TrampiresDr. Alex Cular
2018
Grandpa's Great EscapeMiss Dandy
2018
Lady Windermere's FanThe Duchess of Berwick
2018
PatrickMaureen
2018
Completely Bad NewsSally
2019
Isn't It RomanticNatalie's Mother
2019
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet AgainMeryl Streep / Cher
2019Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet AgainWriter
2019
French & Saunders: Funny WomenSelf
2021
Sing 2Nana (voice)
2021
Death on the NileMarie Van Schuyler
2022
The Best Birthday EverMother (voice)
2022
AllelujahSister Gilpin
2023
Dawn French Is a Huge TwatSelf (uncredited)
2023
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, BitterSelf - Featured Artist
2023
SumotherhoodDI Brookes
2023
200% WolfMax (voice)
2024
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside OutSelf / Edina "Eddie" Monsoon
2024Absolutely Fabulous: Inside OutExecutive Producer
2024
Kirsty MacColl at the BBCSelf (archive footage)
2024
Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand StepsThe Goose (voice)
2024
We Work for the DeadThe Mother (voice)
2024
Becoming Victoria WoodSelf
2026
People's Emergency BriefingHerself
2026
The Magic Faraway TreeGrandma
2026
Virginia Woolf's Night & DayBess Hilbery
2026
Coraline e o Mundo SecretoMiss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
The Making of Shrek 2Self
Television
Omnibus1 eps
1967F'
Film '72Self · 1 eps
1971
The Secret Policeman's BallSelf · 15 eps
1976
An Audience with...Self · 2 eps
1978
The Comic Strip Presents...Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Anne · 3 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Liz · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Sally · 2 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Little Sister · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Jessica · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...June · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Doreen · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Lorna · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Debbie · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Angie · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Meryl Streep · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Monica · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Cathy · 2 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Ice Maiden · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Maria · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Hannah · 1 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...30 eps
1982The Comic Strip Presents...Writer
1982
The Young OnesSue · 1 eps
1982The Young OnesHelen Mucus · 1 eps
1982
WoganSelf · 1 eps
1982
Girls On TopJennifer · 13 eps
1985Girls On TopWriter
1985Girls On TopCreator
1985
Happy FamiliesGranny Fuddle · 6 eps
1985
Omnibus Presents Comic Relief1 eps
1986
The Dangerous Brothers1 eps
1986
French & SaundersVarious Characters · 39 eps
1987French & SaundersWriter
1987French & SaundersCreator
1987
Going Live!Self · 2 eps
1987
Comic Relief2 eps
1988
RoseanneEdina Monsoon · 1 eps
1988
The StorytellerBadsister 1 · 1 eps
1988
The SimpsonsPhoebe Pratt (voice) · 1 eps
1989
Have I Got News for YouSelf · 1 eps
1990Have I Got News for YouSelf - Hostess · 4 eps
1990
Rita Rudner3 eps
1990
Absolutely FabulousEdina Monsoon · 34 eps
1992Absolutely FabulousWriter
1992Absolutely FabulousCreator
1992
FriendsAndrea Waltham · 2 eps
1994
TFI Friday1 eps
1996
ParkinsonSelf · 2 eps
1998
Let Them Eat Cake6 eps
1999
The Magician's HouseThe Rat (voice) · 12 eps
1999
Pongwiffy14 eps
2002
Top GearSelf - Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car · 1 eps
2002Top GearSelf · 1 eps
2002
ParkinsonSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2004
Jam and JerusalemCaroline Martin · 19 eps
2006Jam and JerusalemWriter
2006Jam and JerusalemCreator
2006
A Bucket O' French and Saunders5 eps
2007A Bucket O' French and SaundersCreator
2007
The Graham Norton ShowSelf · 10 eps
2007
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle6 eps
2007The Life and Times of Vivienne VyleCreator
2007
Would I Lie to You?Self · 1 eps
2007
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2009
This Is Jinsy8 eps
2010
Celebrity Antiques Road TripSelf - Participant · 1 eps
2011
Dead BossGovernor Margaret · 6 eps
2012
The Great Sport Relief Bake OffSelf - Host · 1 eps
2012
BlandingsLady Constance Keeble · 13 eps
2013
GoggleboxSelf · 1 eps
2013
The Great Comic Relief Bake OffSelf - Contestant · 1 eps
2013
The Last LegSelf · 1 eps
2013
JoshJudith · 3 eps
2015
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2015
Insert Name HereSelf - Panelist · 1 eps
2016
Let's Sing and Dance for Comic ReliefSelf - Judge · 1 eps
2017
Celebrity GoggleboxSelf · 1 eps
2019
MoominvalleyMymble · 1 eps
2019
There's Something About MoviesSelf - Team Captain · 24 eps
2019
Richard Osman's House of Games NightSelf · 1 eps
2020
The StrangerHeidi Doyle · 8 eps
2020
Mel Giedroyc: UnforgivableSelf · 1 eps
2021
Fantasy Football LeagueThemselves · 2 eps
2022
The PentaverateMaester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik · 6 eps
2022
Only ChildSally · 1 eps
2024
Too MuchFiona · 1 eps
2025
The Claudia Winkleman ShowSelf · 1 eps
2026A
AbFabExecutive Producer
Have I Got a Bit More News for YouSelf - Presenter · 4 eps
Have I Got a Bit More News for YouSelf - Panellist · 1 eps
Photos
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