Cast & creator
Jennifer Saunders
Best known for Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Simpsons
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.
Also known as: Jennifer Jane Saunders
128
film credits
92
television credits
190
1967–2026 · acting roles
6.9
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (220)
Showing 220 of 220 credits
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015
The Simpsons
Phoebe Pratt (voice)
1989
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Friends
Andrea Waltham
1994
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
Self - Presenter
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
Self - Panellist
Have I Got News for You
Self
1990Have I Got News for You
Self - Hostess
1990
Top Gear
Self - Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car
2002Top Gear
Self
2002
Wogan
Self
1982
Coraline
Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
2009
The Last Leg
Self
2013
Omnibus
1967
Would I Lie to You?
Self
2007Film '72
Self
1971
Parkinson
Self
1998
An Audience with...
Self
1978
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Self - Participant
2011
The Comic Strip Presents...
Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Anne
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Liz
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Sally
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Little Sister
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Jessica
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
June
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Doreen
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Lorna
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Debbie
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Angie
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Meryl Streep
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Monica
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Cathy
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Ice Maiden
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Maria
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Hannah
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
1982The Comic Strip Presents...
Writer
1982
Absolutely Fabulous
Edina Monsoon
1992Absolutely Fabulous
Writer
1992Absolutely Fabulous
Creator
1992
Parkinson
Self - Guest
2004
TFI Friday
1996
Death on the Nile
Marie Van Schuyler
2022
Sing
Nana (voice)
2016
Shrek 2
Fairy Godmother (voice)
2004
Going Live!
Self
1987
Celebrity Gogglebox
Self
2019
Sing 2
Nana (voice)
2021
The Young Ones
Sue
1982The Young Ones
Helen Mucus
1982
Moominvalley
Mymble
2019
Minions
The Queen (voice)
2015
The Stranger
Heidi Doyle
2020
French & Saunders
Various Characters
1987French & Saunders
Writer
1987French & Saunders
Creator
1987
The Storyteller
Badsister 1
1988
The Magic Faraway Tree
Grandma
2026
Too Much
Fiona
2025
This Is Jinsy
2010
Virginia Woolf's Night & Day
Bess Hilbery
2026
Roseanne
Edina Monsoon
1988
Jam and Jerusalem
Caroline Martin
2006Jam and Jerusalem
Writer
2006Jam and Jerusalem
Creator
2006
Insert Name Here
Self - Panelist
2016
The Pentaverate
Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik
2022
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self
1976
The Magician's House
The Rat (voice)
1999
Blandings
Lady Constance Keeble
2013Comic Relief
1988
The Claudia Winkleman Show
Self
2026
Isn't It Romantic
Natalie's Mother
2019
Gogglebox
Self
2013
Fantasy Football League
Themselves
2022
Girls On Top
Jennifer
1985Girls On Top
Writer
1985Girls On Top
Creator
1985
Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable
Self
2021
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
Self - Host
2012
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off
Self - Contestant
2013
Muppet Treasure Island
Mrs. Bluveridge
1996
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Edina Monsoon
2016Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Screenplay
2016
200% Wolf
Max (voice)
2024
Stick Man
Narrator (voice)
2015
Josh
Judith
2015
Spice World
Fashionable Woman
1997
Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief
Self - Judge
2017
There's Something About Movies
Self - Team Captain
2019
Omnibus Presents Comic Relief
1986
Let Them Eat Cake
1999
Happy Families
Granny Fuddle
1985
Dead Boss
Governor Margaret
2012
Richard Osman's House of Games Night
Self
2020
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
2007The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
Creator
2007
Rita Rudner
1990
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
2007A Bucket O' French and Saunders
Creator
2007AbFab
Executive Producer
Only Child
Sally
2024
Summer School
Liz
1983
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
2016
Patrick
Maureen
2018
The Dangerous Brothers
1986
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
Edina Monsoon
1996Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
Writer
1996
The Boy in the Dress
Miss Windsor
2014
In the Bleak Midwinter
Nancy
1995
Eat the Rich
Lady Caroline
1987
Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps
The Goose (voice)
2024
The Best Birthday Ever
Mother (voice)
2022
The Making of Shrek 2
Self
Amnesty International's Big 30
Self
1991
Five Go to Rehab
Anne
2012
Gino: Full Story and Pics
Angie
1984
French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88
Various Characters
1988French And Saunders - Christmas Special '88
Writer
1988
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Self
2004
Jealousy
Jane/Margory
1993
Lady Windermere's Fan
The Duchess of Berwick
2018
French and Saunders' Christmas Carol
Various Roles
1994French and Saunders' Christmas Carol
Writer
1994
Dusty
Self - Presenter
1994
Allelujah
Sister Gilpin
2023
Comic Relief: Red Nose Day
Self
2017
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
Self
1989
Spaghetti Hoops
Maria
1990
30 Years of Comic Strip
2012
GLC: The Carnage Continues
Brigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden
1990
We Work for the Dead
The Mother (voice)
2024
Sumotherhood
DI Brookes
2023Pongwiffy
2002
Grandpa's Great Escape
Miss Dandy
2018
How to Be Absolutely Fabulous
Self / Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (archive footage)
1995How to Be Absolutely Fabulous
Writer
1995
Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline'
Self
2009
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
Self / Edina "Eddie" Monsoon
2024Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
Executive Producer
2024
Customer Service From Hell
1989
Four Men in a Car
Helen
1998
The Comic Strip
1981The Comic Strip
Writer
1981
The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever!
Self
2012
Prince Cinders
Fairy (voice)
1993
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
Dorcas
1990
People's Emergency Briefing
Herself
2026
Five Go Mad on Mescalin
Anne
1983
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
Monica
1988
300 Years of French & Saunders
2017
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again
Meryl Streep / Cher
2019Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again
Writer
2019
Space Virgins from Planet Sex
Needle
1993
Comedians Do It On Stage
Self
1986
Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger
1986
Five Go Mad in Dorset
Anne
1982
Fanny & Elvis
Roanna
1999
L'Entente cordiale
Gwendoline McFarlane
2006
The Best of French & Saunders
Various
2002The Best of French & Saunders
Writer
2002
Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl
Self
2001
Bad News
Sally
1983
Absolutely Fabulous: A Life
Edina "Eddy" Monsoon
1998Absolutely Fabulous: A Life
Writer
1998
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
Self - Featured Artist
2023
Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2024
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
Self - Presenter
2017
More Bad News
Sally
1988
Demonella
The Devil
1993
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!
Cathy
1990
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?
Doreen
1984
Absolutely Fabulous
Une spectatrice du défilé
2001Absolutely Fabulous
Writer
2001
A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques
Shona
1984
Dawn French Is a Huge Twat
Self (uncredited)
2023
French & Saunders: Still Alive
Self
2008French & Saunders: Still Alive
Writer
2008
An Audience With Victoria Wood
Self
1988
Becoming Victoria Wood
Self
2026
The Beat Generation
Anne
1983
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1
Cathy
1990
Bottom Mindless Violence
Helen Mucus / Anita Harris (archive footage) (uncredited)
2004
The Hunt for Tony Blair
Lady Thatcher
2011
Completely Bad News
Sally
2019
French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years
2011
Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires
Dr. Alex Cular
2018
Red Nose of Courage
Margaret Thatcher
1992
Employees From Hell
1989
The Supergrass
Lesley Reynolds
1985
The Storyteller: Sapsorrow
Badsister 1
1988
Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)
Jessica
1986Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)
Writer
1986
Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders
2011
French & Saunders: Funny Women
Self
2021
Wild Turkey
Neighbour
1992
French & Saunders: At the Movies
1993
Mirrorball
Vivienne Keill
2000Mirrorball
Writer
2000Mirrorball
Creator
2000
Private Enterprise
Debbie
1986
The Strike
Meryl Streep as Mrs Scargill
1988
Communicators From Hell
1989
Dirty Movie
June
1984
Slags
Little Sister
1984Slags
Writer
1984
French & Saunders LIVE
1990
Colleagues From Hell
1989
It’s Lulu
Self
1999We Love Sitcom
2016
Oxford
Hannah
1990
French & Saunders - Live
Various roles
2000French & Saunders - Live
Writer
2000
War
Various Roles
1983The Silurian Disruption
Silurian #2
1987The Silurian Disruption
Writer
1987
Susie
Lorna
1984