Jenny Eclair

Jenny Eclair(bornJenny Clare Hargreaves; 16 March 1960) is an English comedian, novelist, and actress, best known for her roles inGrumpy Old Womenbetween 2004 and 2007 and inLoose Womenin 2011 and 2012.
Eclair was born to English parents inKuala Lumpur,Malaya, where her father, Derek Hargreaves, a major in theBritish Army, had been posted in 1952.The family lived in Malaysia,Singapore, andGermanybefore settling inLancashire.Eclair returned to England when she was two years old,and she started her education at Queen Mary school (nowAKS Lytham) inLytham St Annes.
She is said to have adopted the alternative surname Eclair (later her stage name) in her teens, when she was at adiscoinBlackpooland pretended to be French.She studied at theManchester Polytechnic School of Drama(nowManchester Metropolitan University)and joined a cabaret group variously referred to as Kathy Lacreme and the Rum Babas, and Cathy La Crème and the Rum Babas.
After she moved to London, Eclair's first job was atCamberwell Arts Collegeas a life model, which she did for about two terms. She then saw an advert inThe Stagelooking for novelty acts and found work doing punk poems. In 1989, when she was named theTime OutCabaret Award winner, she said it "was nice because it's the first time I've ever won without having to run 100 metres balancing an egg on a spoon."In 1995, Eclair was the first woman to win thePerrier Awardat theEdinburgh Fringe Festivalfor her showProzac and Tantrums.In a 2024 interview withThe Guardian, she said that the prize "didn't make me feel fulfilled" and that she "unravelled" after she had won it.
After an early appearance as a German hotel worker inAuf Wiedersehen Pet, Eclair starred in theITVdramaThe Billand appeared in the early 1990sChannel 4comedy seriesPacket of ThreewithFrank Skinner, as well as the follow-up seriesPacking Them In. In 1997, she played "Josie" in the stage playSteamingbyNell Dunn.  In 2001, she published her first novelCamberwell Beauty.
Eclair provided alternative commentary of theEurovision Song Contest 2002forBBC Choiceviewers as part of the channel'sLiquid Eurovision Partycoverage, as a late replacement for broadcasterChristopher Pricewho died the month before the contest took place.
Eclair helped develop, and appeared on,BBC Two'sGrumpy Old Womenand its various spin-off shows. In 2006, Eclair starred in the stage showGrumpy Old Women Live!withDillie KeaneandLinda Robson. The show was co-written by Eclair andJudith Holder. The spring saw a sell-out national tour, and June and July a run at theLyric Theatrein London's West End, and the autumn saw another national tour.
In 2003, Eclair was a panellist onLoose Womenand returned from 2011 to 2012. Her last appearance was on 30 May 2012. She was replaced by actressShobna Gulati.
In 2007, Eclair was featured in episode 5 of theChannel 4seriesEmpire's Children, a genealogy research programme which followed British public figures as they rediscovered their heritage and its links to British colonialism.Eclair returned to her birthplace ofKuala Lumpur(Malaysia) to explore the historical background of theMalayan Emergencyin which her father had fought. During her childhood, Eclair had discovered photographs of beheaded corpses among her father's belongings. She confronted her father who confirmed that they were real and thatcollecting severed heads was a common practiceby the British military in Malaya.
Eclair's reaction to learning of British war crimes during the Malayan Emergency was poorly perceived by some critics as being dismissive of British atrocities during the war. Her behaviour during the episode was later used as a case study by academics researching the Malayan Emergency and British media culture.
In 2005, Eclair appeared in the reality showComic Relief Does Fame Academy.
On 18 November 2010, she joined the 2010 series ofI'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!,finishing in third place behindStacey SolomonandShaun Ryder.
In August 2012, she appeared inCelebrity MasterChefonBBC One.
She was a contestant inThe Great Pottery Throw Down's December 2022 festive celebrity show.
She was a contestant in the fifteenth series ofTaskmaster(aired March–June 2023), alongside comediansFrankie Boyle,Mae Martin,Kiell Smith-BynoeandIvo Graham.
On 25 January 2014, Eclair took part in thesecond seriesof theITVcelebrity diving showSplash!, appearing in the fourth heat.
Note* Scores are out of a possible 30 points in total.
In January 2024, she was a contestant onRichard Osman's House of Games
Until April 2008, Eclair hosted a weekendtalk showonLBC 97.3. Her other radio credits include appearing onBBC Radio 4in theJust a Minutequiz and afternoon plays, various comedy shows onBBC 7and regularly has covered forSandi Toksvigon LBC's weekday lunchtime chat show (now defunct).
Between 2014 and 2022, Eclair wrote seven series (36 episodes) ofLittle Lifetimes,shortmonologuesfor female actors, broadcast on BBC Radio 4. As well as Eclair herself, actors includingDame Harriet Walter,Haydn Gwynne,Monica Dolan,Vicki Pepperdine,Imelda Staunton,Anita DobsonandRuth Sheenhave been themonologist.
Eclair has also hosted her own show on the London radio stationLBC Radioand starred in various stage productions.
Eclair sat in forDanny BakeronBBC London 94.9from Tuesday 30 August until Friday 2 September 2011.
Eclair fronts theFood Standards Agency's salt reduction campaign "Salt, is your food full of it?".
Eclair became an Ambassador for audiobook charityListening Booksin 2019.
Eclair appeared atDerby PlayhouseinThe Killing of Sister Georgefrom 13 September 2008 until 18 October 2008.
Eclair now hosts a podcast calledOlder and Wider Podcast, co-hosted with Judith Holder, whom she had previously met and worked with onGrumpy Old Women.
Eclair is married to Geoff Powell as of July 2017. She previously stated that marriages are "naff".She is the mother of the playwrightPhoebe Eclair-Powell,who was born in 1989.
Eclair has discussed having aneating disorderand becominganorexicwhile at drama school, saying that she "didn't cook or eat for about 10 years".Her third year of drama school was interrupted when she was sent home and almost hospitalised.She has said that her anorexia is "something I can joke about now, because I'm overweight."