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