Jennifer Jane Saunders 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.
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
Self
2024
Kirsty MacColl at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2024
Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps
The Goose (voice)
2024
The Pentaverate
Maester of Dubrovnik / Saester of Dubrovnik · (6 episodes)
2022
French & Saunders: Funny Women
Self
2021
Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable
Self · (1 episode)
2021
Richard Osman's House of Games Night
Self - Contestant · (5 episodes)
2020
We Love Sitcom
2016
Insert Name Here
Self - Panelist · (1 episode)
2016
Gogglebox
Self · (1 episode)
2013
Blandings
Lady Constance Keeble · (13 episodes)
2013
This Is Jinsy
(8 episodes)
2010
The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle
(6 episodes)
2007
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
(5 episodes)
2007
Would I Lie to You?
Self · (1 episode)
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (10 episodes)
2007
Jam and Jerusalem
Caroline Martin · (19 episodes)
2006
Top Gear
Self - Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car · (1 episode)
2002
Pongwiffy
(14 episodes)
2002
The Magician's House
The Rat (voice) · (4 episodes)
1999
Let Them Eat Cake
(6 episodes)
1999
Friends
Andrea Waltham · (2 episodes)
1994
Absolutely Fabulous
Edina · (39 episodes)
1992
Communicators From Hell
1989
A Fistful of Travellers' Cheques
Shona
1984
The Magic Faraway Tree
Employees From Hell
1989
Night and Day
Mrs Hilbery
Rita Rudner
(3 episodes)
1990
The Storyteller
Badsister 1 · (1 episode)
1988
Comic Relief
(2 episodes)
1988
Going Live!
Self · (2 episodes)
1987
French & Saunders
Various Characters · (39 episodes)
1987
The Silurian Disruption
Silurian #2
1987
Omnibus Presents Comic Relief
(1 episode)
1986
Girls On Top
Jennifer · (13 episodes)
1985
Happy Families
Granny Fuddle · (6 episodes)
1985
The Young Ones
Sue · (1 episode)
1982
The Young Ones
Helen Mucus · (1 episode)
1982
Wogan
Self · (1 episode)
1982
An Audience with...
Self · (2 episodes)
1978
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Self · (15 episodes)
1976
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
Self - Presenter · (4 episodes)
Have I Got a Bit More News for You
Self - Panellist · (1 episode)
Only Child
Sally · (1 episode)
2024
200% Wolf
Max (voice)
2024
We Work for the Dead
The Mother (voice)
2024
Dawn French Is a Huge Twat
Self (uncredited)
2023
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
Self - featured artist
2023
Sumotherhood
DI Brookes
2023
Allelujah
Sister Gilpin
2023
Fantasy Football League
Themselves · (2 episodes)
2022
Death on the Nile
Marie Van Schuyler
2022
Sing 2
Nana (voice)
2021
The Stranger
Heidi Doyle · (8 episodes)
2020
Completely Bad News
Sally
2019
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Yet Again
Meryl Streep / Cher
2019
Celebrity Gogglebox
(1 episode)
2019
There's Something About Movies
Self - Team Captain · (24 episodes)
2019
Moominvalley
Mymble · (1 episode)
2019
Isn't It Romantic
Natalie's Mother
2019
Patrick
Maureen
2018
Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires
Dr. Alex Cular
2018
Lady Windermere's Fan
The Duchess of Berwick
2018
Grandpa's Great Escape
Miss Dandy
2018
300 Years of French & Saunders
2017
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
Self - Presenter
2017
Comic Relief: Red Nose Day
Self
2017
Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief
Self - Judge · (1 episode)
2017
Sing
Nana (voice)
2016
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
2016
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
Edina Monsoon
2016
Stick Man
Narrator (voice)
2015
Josh
Judith · (3 episodes)
2015
Minions
Reine Elizabeth II (voice)
2015
The Boy in the Dress
Miss Windsor
2014
The Last Leg
Self · (1 episode)
2013
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off
Self - Contestant · (1 episode)
2013
The Spice Girls Story: Viva Forever!
Self
2012
Five Go to Rehab
Anne
2012
30 Years of Comic Strip
2012
Dead Boss
Governor Margaret · (6 episodes)
2012
The Great Sport Relief Bake Off
Self - Host · (1 episode)
2012
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
Self - Participant · (1 episode)
2011
The Hunt for Tony Blair
Lady Thatcher
2011
Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders
2011
French & Saunders: The Ingenue Years
2011
Coraline: The Making of 'Coraline'
Self
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Coraline
Miss April Spink / Other Spink (voice)
2009
French and Saunders: Still Alive
Self
2008
L'Entente cordiale
Gwendoline McFarlane
2006
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Self
2004
Shrek 2
Fairy Godmother (voice)
2004
Top Gear
Self · (1 episode)
2002
The Best of French & Saunders
Various
2002
Absolutely Fabulous
Une spectatrice du défilé
2001
Kirsty: The Life and Songs of Kirsty MacColl
Self
2001
Mirrorball
Vivienne Keill
2000
French & Saunders - Live
Various roles
2000
Fanny & Elvis
Roanna
1999
Absolutely Fabulous: A Life
Edina "Eddy" Monsoon
1998
Four Men in a Car
Helen
1998
Parkinson
Self · (2 episodes)
1998
Spice World
Fashionable Woman
1997
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
Edina Monsoon
1996
Muppet Treasure Island
Mrs. Bluveridge
1996
In the Bleak Midwinter
Nancy
1995
How to Be Absolutely Fabulous
Self / Edina "Eddy" Monsoon (archive footage)
1995
Dusty
Self - Presenter
1994
Prince Cinders
Fairy (voice)
1993
Jealousy
Jane/Margory
1993
Demonella
The Devil
1993
Space Virgins from Planet Sex
Needle
1993
French & Saunders: At the Movies
1993
Wild Turkey
Neighbour
1992
Red Nose of Courage
Margaret Thatcher
1992
Amnesty International's Big 30
Self
1991
The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
Dorcas
1990
French & Saunders LIVE
1990
Spaghetti Hoops
Maria
1990
Oxford
Hannah
1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 1
Cathy
1990
South Atlantic Raiders: Part 2 Argie Bargie!
Cathy
1990
GLC: The Carnage Continues
Brigitte Nielsen as Margaret Thatcher, The Ice Maiden
1990
The Simpsons
Phoebe Pratt (voice) · (1 episode)
1989
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
Self
1989
An Audience With Victoria Wood
Self
1988
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door
Monica
1988
More Bad News
Sally
1988
The Strike
Meryl Streep as Mrs Scargill
1988
Eat the Rich
Lady Caroline
1987
Comedians Do It On Stage
Self
1986
Private Enterprise
Debbie
1986
Consuela (or, The New Mrs Saunders)
Jessica
1986
Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger
1986
The Dangerous Brothers
(1 episode)
1986
The Supergrass
Lesley Reynolds
1985
Slags
Little Sister
1984
Eddie Monsoon - a Life?
Doreen
1984
Gino: Full Story and Pics
Angie
1984
Susie
Lorna
1984
Dirty Movie
June
1984
Five Go Mad on Mescalin
Anne
1983
Summer School
Liz
1983
Bad News
Sally
1983
The Beat Generation
Anne
1983
War
Various Roles
1983
Five Go Mad in Dorset
Anne
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Anne · (4 episodes)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
June · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Angie · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Meryl Streep · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Sally · (2 episodes)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Shona/Second Nun/Horse Rider · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Liz · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Lorna · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Jessica · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Chas/Marilyn/Captain/Drunk · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Doreen · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Debbie · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Little Sister · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Monica · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Ice Maiden · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Cathy · (2 episodes)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Hannah · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Maria · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Needle · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Margaret Thatcher · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Neighbour · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Jane/Margory · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
Helen · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
The Devil · (1 episode)
1982
The Comic Strip Presents...
(46 episodes)
1982
The Comic Strip
1981