Joanna Lumley reveals Jennifer Saunders almost killed off Absolutely Fabulous stars

Virgin Radio

6 Jun 2024, 14:37

We couldn't ever imagine a TV world without the incomparable Patsy Stone and Edina Monsoon. Thankfully, Absolutely Fabulous creator Jennifer Saunders decided not to kill off the globally-loved comedy characters after some prompt persuasion from Joanna Lumley.

The pair starred as the chain-smoking, Bolly-quaffing Patsy Stone and Edina Monsoon from 1992 to 2003. The dynamically disastrous duo returned in 2004 for a Christmas special, a three-part series (2012) and a feature film (2016), but it could have been a very different outcome for the two.

Speaking to My Weekly, Lumley shared: "I utterly adore Patsy and the thing is, she can't be destroyed. I hope I'm not saying anything out of turn, but Jennifer said at one time, 'Shall we just kill them off and bury them?'"

The Dame continued: “I wrote back the fastest email return I’ve ever written. I said, ‘No, we’ve promised the world we will never die! And to be honest, if all that vodka and champagne they’ve necked over the years hasn’t done the job, then why on earth would their creator be able to do it?’”

The soon-to-be Wednesday star previously admitted: “People come up to me and say lines that come from Patsy and I don’t remember anything."

Talking to comedy partner Dawn French on their podcast Titting About, Saunders admitted in October that an Ab Fab-esque project could be incoming soon.

The Celebrity Gogglebox star said: “I need to write a film or a series based on Ab Fab, because everyone wants another Ab Fab movie,” Jennifer said. “I can’t do that, I just don’t have a thing. I want to do something related.”

Elsewhere, Lumley is set to join season two of Netflix show Wednesday starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia.

New regulars for season two will be I Hate Suzie’s Billie Piper as Capri and Hollywood star Steve Buscemi as Barry Dort. Evie Templeton, Owen Painter and Noah Taylor are also newbies.

Thandiwe Newton will appear in a guest star role as Dr Fairburn, and other guest stars include Back to the Future’s Christopher Lloyd.