Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English comedienne, actress and writer. She was born in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. She co-starred with Dawn French in comedy sketch show French and Saunders. She stars in Absolutely Fabulous with Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield.

She has guest starred in the American sitcoms Roseanne and Friends. She won the American People's Choice Award for voicing the wicked Fairy Godmother in DreamWorks' animated Shrek 2.

Personal life
Saunders married Adrian Edmondson on 11 May 1985 in Cheshire. They have three daughters: Eleanor "Ella" Rose (born 22 January 1986, Hammersmith, London), Beatrice "Beattie" Louise (born 19 June 1987, Kensington and Chelsea, London), and Freya Domenica (born 16 October 1990, Wandsworth, London).

Saunders currently owns a £1 million property with  of land in Chagford, Devon and a home in London. Edmondson and Saunders were estimated to be worth £11 million in 2002. 

In July 2010, she said that she had breast cancer. She knew about it since October 2009. She is in remission following a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Awards and recognition
Along with Dawn French, Saunders declined an OBE in 2001. In 2003, she was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. Saunders was 93rd out of E!'s 100 Sexiest British Stars. She also was 18th for "Best British Role Models for teenage girls in Britain" by Good Housekeeping magazine.

Won
1991: Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for TV Light Entertainment - French & Saunders
1993: BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy Series for - Absolutely Fabulous (shared with Jon Plowman and Bob Spiers)
1993: Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award TV for Situation Comedy - Absolutely Fabulous
1994: International Emmy Award for popular arts - Absolutely Fabulous
2002: Honorary Rose Award - awarded with Dawn French
2005: People's Choice Award for Best Movie Villain - Shrek 2
2009: BAFTA Fellowship - awarded with Dawn French
2012: BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Performance In a Comedy Programme - Absolutely Fabulous

Nominated
1993: BAFTA Television Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance for - Absolutely Fabulous
1993: British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Actress - Absolutely Fabulous
1994: British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actress - Absolutely Fabulous
1995: BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy Series for - Absolutely Fabulous (shared with Jon Plowman and Bob Spiers)
1996: BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy Series for - Absolutely Fabulous (shared with Jon Plowman and Bob Spiers)
1997: BAFTA Television Award for Best Comedy Series for - Absolutely Fabulous (shared with Jon Plowman, Bob Spiers and Janice Thomas)

Actress
1998; Dr. Dolittle  (Voice) .... Border Collie 
2012: Dead Boss (TV) ... Governor Margaret
2012: Blandings (TV) ... Connie
2011: The Hunt for Tony Blair (TV) ... Margaret Thatcher
2009: Red Nose Day 2009   (TV) .... Meryl Streep
2009: Coraline   (voice) .... Miss April Spink/Other Spink
2008: French and Saunders Still Alive   (V)
2007: The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle    .... Vivienne Vyle (6 episodes, 2007)
2007: A Bucket o' French & Saunders   .... Various Characters (5 episodes, 2007)
2006: Jam & Jerusalem   .... Caroline Martin / ... (16 episodes, 2006–2009)
2006: L'entente cordiale   .... Gwendoline McFarlane
2006: The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle   (TV) .... Vivienne Vyle
2005: Comic Relief: Red Nose Night Live 05    (TV) .... Edina 'Eddie' Monsoon
2004: Fable    (VG) (voice)
2004: Shrek 2    (voice) .... Fairy Godmother
2003: Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do   (TV) .... J.K. Rowling / Ron Weasley
2002: Pongwiffy   TV series (voice) .... Sharkadder
2001: Absolument fabuleux   .... Une spectatrice du défilé
2000: Mirrorball   (TV) .... Vivienne Keill
2000: French & Saunders Live    (V) .... Various roles
1999: The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything    (TV)
1999: Fanny and Elvis   .... Roanna
1999: The Magician's House   TV series (voice) .... The Rat
1999: Let Them Eat Cake   .... Colombine (6 episodes, 1999)
1998: Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Not!   (V) .... Edina 'Eddy' Monsoon
1997: Spiceworld   .... Fashionable Woman
1995: In the Bleak Midwinter    .... Nancy Crawford
1995: Queen of the East    (TV) .... Lady Hester Stanhope
1993: Muppet Treasure Island    .... Mrs. Bluberidge
1993: Prince Cinders    (voice) .... Fairy
1993: French and Saunders Live    (V) .... Various roles
1992: Absolutely Fabulous    .... Edina / ... (38 episodes, 1992–2012)
1991: Clive Anderson Talks Back   (1 episode, 1991)
1990: The Tale of Little Pig Robinson    (TV) .... Dorcas
1990: Rita Rudner    (1 episode, 1990)
1988: The Storyteller   .... Badsister 1 (1 episode, 1988)
1987: French and Saunders    .... Various Characters / ... (48 episodes, 1987–2009)
1988: Eat the Rich   .... Lady Caroline
1986: Dangerous Brothers Present: World of Danger    (V) .... Anita Harris (segment "How to Get off with a Lady")
1985: The Supergrass    .... Lesley Reynolds
1985: Girls On Top    .... Jennifer Marsh (5 episodes, 1985)
1985: Happy Families    .... Granny Fuddle / ... (6 episodes, 1985)
1984: The Lenny Henry Show    (1 episode, 1984)
1982: The Comic Strip Presents...    .... Anne / ... (28 episodes, 1982–1998)
1982: The Young Ones    .... Helen Mucus / ... (2 episodes, 1982–1984)
1981: The Comic Strip   (TV) .... Jennifer

Guest appearances

1996: Roseanne in the episode "Satan, Darling"
1998: Friends in the episodes "The One With Ross' Wedding" (parts 1 and 2) and "The One After Ross Says Rachel"

Writer

2012: Viva Forever: The Spice Girls Musical (writer)
2006: Jam & Jerusalem   (16 episodes, 2006–2009)
2008: French and Saunders Still Alive   (V) (writer)
2007: The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle    (6 episodes, 2007)
2007: A Bucket o' French & Saunders   (5 episodes, 2007)
2006: The Vivienne Vyle Show   (TV) (writer)
2001: Absolument fabuleux   (creator: TV series Absolutely Fabulous)
2000: Mirrorball   (TV) (writer)
2000: French & Saunders Live   (V) (writer)
1999: The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything   (TV) (writer)
1998: Absolutely Fabulous: A Life    (V) (writer)
1998: Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Not!   (V) (original idea)
1996: Roseanne   (1 episode, 1996)
1993: French and Saunders Live    (V) (writer)
1992: Absolutely Fabulous   (38 episodes, 1992–2012)
1991: Comic Relief    (TV) (uncredited)
1987: French and Saunders   (38 episodes, 1987–2005)
1986: Comic Relief   (TV) (writer)
1984: The Comic Strip Presents...    (2 episodes, 1984–1986)
1985: Girls On Top    TV series (unknown episodes)
1981: The Comic Strip   (TV) (writer)

References

Other websites 
 

1958 births
Living people
Actors from Lincolnshire
English comedians
English movie actors
English television actors
English television writers
English voice actors
People with cancer
Writers from Lincolnshire
BAFTA Award winners
People's Choice Award winners