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

Shrek 2 Not in library

Shrek 2

2004

Minions Not in library

Minions

2015

The Simpsons Not in library

The Simpsons

1989

Friends Not in library

Friends

1994

Coraline Not in library

Coraline

2009

Sing Not in library

Sing

2016

Sing 2 Not in library

Sing 2

2021

Death on the Nile Not in library

Death on the Nile

2022

Isn't It Romantic Not in library

Isn't It Romantic

2019

Top Gear Not in library

Top Gear

2002

Acting

2026 The Magic Faraway Tree as Grandma Thompson In Library
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