# Lesley Joseph

Lesley Diana Joseph (born 14 October 1945) is an English actress and broadcaster, whose career on stage and screen spans over fifty years. She is best known for playing Dorien Green in the television sitcom Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998 and again from 2014 to 2020. Other television credits include Absurd Person Singular (1985) and Night and Day (2001–2003).
Her stage roles include UK touring productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie (2005), Calendar Girls (2011) and Annie (2015). In 2018, she was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, for the original West End production of Young Frankenstein.

## Early life

Joseph was born on 14 October 1945, in Finsbury Park, Haringey, London, England. She grew up in Kingsthorpe, Northampton and attended Northampton School for Girls.

## Career
### Stage

In May 1973, Joseph appeared in Godspell at the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth.
Joseph appeared in Cinderella at Theatre Royal, Plymouth in 2008 and the Orchard Theatre in Dartford in 2009 and starred as Myra Wilson in the UK Tour of Hot Flush!. In 2014, Hot Flush! embarked on its third UK tour.
From 4 December 2010 to 22 January 2011, she appeared at The Grand Opera House, Belfast as the Wicked Queen in the pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In mid 2011, Joseph appeared as Chris in the stage show Calendar Girls, based on the film of the same name.
Between 2014 and 2015, she performed at the Theatre Royal Nottingham as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In 2015, she appeared as Miss Hannigan in the stage production of Annie at certain venues, sharing the role with Jodie Prenger and Elaine C Smith she was cast as the fairy godmother in Cinderella at the cliffs pavilion (Southend on sea). In 2016/17, she was part of the cast in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. Joseph then portrayed Frau Blucher in the West End production of Young Frankenstein.
Between 2022 and 2024, Joseph starred in Sister Act: The Musical, playing the roles of Sister Mary Lazarus and Mother Superior.

### Birds of a Feather

From 1989 to 1998, Joseph played Dorien Green in the BBC One sitcom Birds of a Feather, alongside Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson.
In December 2011, it was confirmed that Joseph would reunite with fellow Birds of a Feather cast members, Quirke and Robson, for a theatre adaptation of the series. The trio toured the United Kingdom from May to July 2012. Following the success of the stage adaption, a new series of Birds of a Feather was commissioned after the rights had been acquired by ITV. The new series began airing on 2 January 2014 for eight episodes. To promote the return of the series, Joseph, Quirke and Robson appeared as guest panellists on Loose Women on 16 January 2014.
In March 2015, it was confirmed that a second series of Birds of a Feather had been commissioned by ITV which began airing in December. Following this, a third series was commissioned and aired in early 2016, Joseph appeared in three more Christmas specials airing in 2016, 2017 and 2020 respectively, before the show's cancellation was announced in May 2021.

### Further TV work

Joseph starred in the ITV soap Night and Day from 2001 to 2003 playing the show's resident bitch, Rachel Culgrin. In 2002, Joseph appeared on a special edition of What Not to Wear, where she was given a makeover by Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine. In 2004, she performed in The Vagina Monologues opposite Linda Robson and Mica Paris.
Since 2009, she has been a regular newspaper reviewer on This Morning. She appeared in the 2014 series Secrets of the Asylum, a two-part series for ITV. In 2015, Joseph took part in ITV's celebrity sheep herding series Flockstars, beginning on 30 July.
In 2014, Joseph appeared with Forrest Dunbar on ITV2's Freshers: A Year On. She made frequent appearances on Channel 5's Big Brother's Bit on the Side.
On 22 August 2016, it was announced that Joseph would take part in the fourteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with Anton du Beke. In their first week, the couple scored 23 points for their waltz to "What'll I Do", in week two, 26 for their cha-cha-cha to "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps", in week three, 27 for their quickstep for "A Couple of Swells" from Easter Parade and in week four, 31 for their Charleston to "Won't You Charleston with Me?" from The Boy Friend. The couple left the series in week five, after scoring 24 for their tango to "Whatever Lola Wants".
She was one of the four competitors who appeared in the special Christmas edition of The Great British Sewing Bee that was transmitted on New Year's Eve 2020 on BBC 1. Her fellow competitors in the programme were Sabrina Grant, Sally Phillips and The Vivienne.
In 2022, Joseph won the seventh series of Celebrity Coach Trip alongside her Birds of a Feather co-star Linda Robson.

### Radio

Joseph began presenting a radio show in 2008 on BBC London 94.9 with Christopher Biggins, airing every Sunday between 9 am to 12 noon. Biggins left the show after a few months, however Joseph has continued to host. She also stood in for Vanessa Feltz on her weekday morning talk show whilst Feltz was on holiday.

## Personal life

Joseph is Jewish. She has two children.
Joseph's mother, Rebecca Mundy (née Maccoby), was born in May 1912 and died in March 2016, aged 103.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1969 | The Bastard King | Catherine of Braganza | Supporting role |
| 1974 | Another Mother Makes Five | Gypsy woman | Supporting role |
| 1975 | Sadie, It's Cold Outside | Cashier | 1 episode |
| 1979 | The Knowledge | Val | Supporting role |
| 1980 | Minder | Maureen | 1 episode |
| 1981 | Roots | Melanie Goldblatt | 1 episode |
| 1983 | Number 10 | Rose Rosenburg | Recurring role |
| 1985 | Summer Season | Mrs King | Recurring role |
| 1985 | Absurd Person Singular | Lottie Potter | TV film |
| 1987 | First Sight | Pippa | Main role |
| 1988 | Lea Girls | Shop assistant | Recurring role |
| 1989 | Ruth Rendell Mysteries | Rose Farriner's neighbour | Main role |
| 1989–1998, 2014–2020 | Birds of a Feather | Dorien Green | Main role |
| 1992 | Celebrity Squares | Herself | Contestant |
| 1992 | Celebrity Fifteen to One | Herself | Contestant |
| 1995 | Rumble | Ma Pecs | Supporting role |
| 1996 | Spywatch | Miss Millington | Main role |
| 1998 | Macbeth | Witch | TV film |
| 2001–2003 | Night and Day | Rachel Culgrin | Regular role |
| 2003 | Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes | Herself | Contestant |
| 2005 | Lost Dogs | Maria-Carmen Todd | Supporting role |
| 2006 | The Secret of Eel Island | Green Beryl | Supporting role |
| 2006–2009, 2014 | Loose Women | Herself | Guest panellist |
| 2007 | Kings of 70s Romance | Herself | Narrator |
| 2007 | Ready Steady Cook | Herself | Contestant |
| 2008 | The Greatest Christmas Comedy | Herself | Interviewee |
| 2008 | The Slammer | Erica, the critic | Recurring role |
| 2008 | Comedy Classics | Herself | Interviewee |
| 2009 | Scoop | Receptionist/Mrs Green | Recurring role |
| 2009–2014 | This Morning | Herself | Newspaper reviewer |
| 2009, 2011 | Celebrity Come Dine with Me | Herself | Contestant |
| 2009 | Cash in the Celebrity Attic | Herself | Contestant |
| 2010 | Let's Dance for Comic Relief | Herself | Participant |
| 2010 | Celebrity Eggheads | Herself | Participant |
| 2011 | Little Crackers | Wardrobe mistress | 1 episode ('My First Brassiere') |
| 2012–2021 | Pointless Celebrities | Herself | Regular participant |
| 2014 | Secrets from the Asylum | Herself | Contributor |
| 2014 | All Star Family Fortunes | Herself | Participant |
| 2014 | You Saw Them Here First | Herself | Contributor |
| 2014 | Celebrity Antiques Road Trip | Herself | Contributor |
| 2014 | Freshers: A Year On | Herself | Contributor |
| 2014–2016 | Big Brother's Bit on the Side | Herself | Contributor |
| 2014, 2021 | The Chase: Celebrity Special | Herself | Contestant |
| 2015 | Flockstars | Herself | Participant |
| 2015 | Mel and Sue | Herself | Guest |
| 2015 | Celebrity Benchmark | Herself | Participant |
| 2016 | Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Participant |
| 2017 | Celebrity 5 Go Motorhoming | Herself | Participant |
| 2019 | Pilgrimage: Road to Rome | Herself | Participant |
| 2022 | Celebrity Coach Trip | Herself | Winner |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Location |
| 1964 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Hermia | Abington Park Museum, Northampton |
| 1968 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Titania | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 1973 | Godspell | Sonia | Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth |
| 1981 | Piaf | Edith Piaf | Belgrade Theatre |
| 1988 | Exclusive Yarns | Pippa | New Wimbledon Theatre |
| 1991–1992 | Cinderella | Wicked Stepmother | Richmond Theatre |
| 1992–1993 | Cinderella | Wicked Stepmother | Theatre Royal, Bath |
| 1993–1994 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| 1994–1995 | Dick Whittington | Alice Fitzwarren | Mayflower Theatre |
| 1995 | The Miser | Frosine | UK Tour |
| 1995–1996 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | New Victoria, Woking |
| 1996–1997 | Dick Whittington | Alice Fitzwarren | Theatre Royal, Plymouth |
| 1997–1998 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Wimbledon Theatre |
| 1998–1999 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Theatre Royal, Nottingham |
| 2000–2001 | Dick Whittington | Fairy Godmother | Theatre Royal, Newcastle |
| 2002–2003 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Brighton |
| 2003 | Office Suite | Miss Prothero | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2003 | Singular Women | Miss Cohen | Kings Head Theatre |
| 2003–2004 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Richmond Theatre |
| 2004–2005 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Newcastle |
| 2005 | Thoroughly Modern Millie | Mrs Meers | UK Tour |
| 2005–2006 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Bradford Alhambra |
| 2006 | The Vagina Monologues | Various | UK Tour |
| 2006–2007 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Wolverhampton Grand |
| 2007–2008 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | New Theatre, Cardiff |
| 2008–2009 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Theatre Royal, Plymouth |
| 2009–2010 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Orchard Theatre, Dartford |
| 2010–2011 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Grand Theatre, Belfast |
| 2011 | Calendar Girls | Chris | UK Tour |
| 2011–2012 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe |
| 2012 | Birds of a Feather | Dorien Green | UK Tour |
| 2012–2013 | Robinson Crusoe | Enchantress of the Ocean | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| 2013–2014 | Robinson Crusoe | Enchantress of the Ocean | Mayflower Theatre |
| 2014 | Hot Flush! | Myra Wilson | UK Tour |
| 2014–2015 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Nottingham |
| 2015 | Annie | Miss Hannigan | UK Tour |
| 2015–2016 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Cliffs Pavilion, Southend |
| 2016–2017 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Plymouth |
| 2017–2018 | Young Frankenstein | Frau Blucher | Theatre Royal, Newcastle Garrick Theatre |
| 2018–2019 | Cinderella | Fairy Godmother | Churchill Theatre, Bromley |
| 2019–2020 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Birmingham Hippodrome |
| 2020–2021 | Sleeping Beauty | Carabosse | Mayflower Theatre |
| 2021–2022 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Bristol Hippodrome |
| 2022 | Sister Act: The Musical | Sister Mary Lazarus | Palace Theatre, Manchester and Hammersmith Apollo |
| 2022–2023 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Milton Keynes Theatre |
| 2022–2023 | Sister Act: The Musical | Mother Superior | UK Tour |
| 2023–2024 | Jack and the Beanstalk | Spirit of the Beans | New Theatre, Cardiff |
| 2024 | The Addams Family | Grandma Addams | London Palladium |
| 2024 | Sister Act: The Musical | Sister Mary Lazarus/Mother Superior | Dominion Theatre |
| 2024–2025 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Wicked Queen | Theatre Royal, Plymouth |