Jennifer Saunders

**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)

## Infobox (comedian awards)

- **child**: yes
- **baftaawards**: Best Comedy
1992 _Absolutely Fabulous_
Fellowship with _Dawn French_
- **awardtitle1**: International Emmy Awards
- **award1**: Popular Arts
1994 _Absolutely Fabulous_


## Infobox (comedian)

- **name**: Jennifer Saunders
- **image**: Jennifer Saunders 2014.jpg
- **caption**: Jennifer Saunders in April 2014
- **birth place**: Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England
- **birth name**: Jennifer Jane Saunders
- **nationality**: British people, British
- **spouse**: Adrian Edmondson
<small>(m. 1985–present)</small>
- **notable work**: Various in _French & Saunders_
Absolutely Fabulous#Eddy, Edina Monsoon in _Absolutely Fabulous_
Fairy Godmother in _Shrek 2_
- **genre**: Comedy, parody
- **medium**: Television, film
- **active**: 1981–present