Jennifer Saunders

Jennifer Jane Saunders is an English comedian, actress, singer, impressionist, satirist, and screenwriter. She first gained wide attention in the 1980s as a member of the alternative comedy group The Comic Strip alongside her longtime comedy partner Dawn French. Saunders is best known for co-creating and starring in the sketch comedy series French and Saunders, as well as for writing and starring as the irresponsible fashion PR agent Edina Monsoon in the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.

Saunders was born on 6 July 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, to a biology teacher and a Royal Air Force pilot. Due to her father's military service, her family moved frequently, living in places such as Cyprus, Camberley, Melksham, and Cheshire. She attended several institutions, including Northwich Grammar School For Girls and St Paul's Girls' School. After working as an au pair in Italy, she enrolled in a drama teachers' course at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London in 1977. There, she met French, and the duo eventually began performing together on the festival, cabaret, and stand-up circuits under the name The Menopause Sisters.

In 1980, Saunders and French joined The Comic Strip, performing live at the Boulevard Theatre in Soho. The group appeared on Channel 4's initial broadcast night in 1982 in The Comic Strip Presents: Five Go Mad In Dorset. Saunders subsequently co-wrote and starred in the 1985 sitcom Girls on Top, appeared in Happy Families, and featured in Comic Strip films such as The Supergrass and Strike. In 1987, she and French launched their BBC sketch program French and Saunders, which aired sporadically through 2007 and was followed by a final live tour in 2008 and 2009.

Saunders achieved major solo success with Absolutely Fabulous, which premiered in 1992. Co-starring Joanna Lumley, the show gained international popularity and spanned five series, multiple specials, and a 2016 feature film. Saunders also made guest appearances in American sitcoms including Roseanne and Friends. Her subsequent television writing and acting projects include the BBC series Jam & Jerusalem and The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, as well as roles in Dead Boss and Blandings.

In film, Saunders appeared in live-action titles such as Muppet Treasure Island and Death on the Nile, and provided voice roles for animated films including Shrek 2, Coraline, Minions, and Sing. Her stage career includes performances in Lady Windermere's Fan, Blithe Spirit, Sister Act the Musical, and pantomime productions at the London Palladium.

Saunders married comedian Adrian Edmondson in May 1985, and the couple has three daughters and five grandchildren. In 2009, she and French were awarded a BAFTA Fellowship. Saunders underwent successful treatment for breast cancer after being diagnosed in 2009, released her autobiography Bonkers: My Life in Laughs in 2013, and serves as a patron for the Smart Works Charity.