Biography for
Jennifer Saunders More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

6 July 1958, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Birth Name

Jennifer Jane Saunders

Nickname

Jen

Height

5' 5½" (1.66 m)

Mini Biography

Jennifer Saunders was born July 6th 1958 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, UK. She attended Central School of Speech and Drama where she met her comedy partner Dawn French. Like many of the early 80s groundbreaking "alternative" comedians she began her career as comedienne/actress/writer with Dawn French at "The Comedy Store" in London, where she met fellow comedians Adrian Edmondson (later her husband), Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer, Alexei Sayle and Peter Richardson, who later opened his own club, "The Comic Strip", where these comedians quickly formed a regular format.

The Comic Strip team were transferred to television screens with great success as they all starred alongside each other in "The Comic Strip Presents..." (1982). After The Comic Strip she starred in a few episodes of "The Young Ones" (1982), "Girls on Top" (1985) and "Happy Families" (1985). Afterwards she and Dawn French wrote a TV show of their own, "French and Saunders" (1987), which was an immense success due to the double acts genius writing, brilliant acting performances and hilarious spoofs of world famous blockbusters and bands.

It was in one of the episodes of "French and Saunders" that the audience had the pleasure of watching a sketch about an uptight daughter and a crazy, neurotic mother that became a comedy classic sitcom. When the BBC next asked Saunders to write something, she just couldn't come up with any ideas, so she decided to expand on that sketch, making it more outrageous and therefore funnier - "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992) was born.

Perhaps by coincidence Saunders had created one of the most loved, funny, and creative TV Shows in BBC history. Three series were made, in 1995 the show was put on hold until Saunders began writing again and came back with a fourth series in 2001. She is always ready for charity as well, she has been doing "Comic Relief" with a lot of her comedy companions ever since 1986. Jennifer Saunders, one of the most loved TV faces in Britain, will hit the screens with her fifth series of Absolutely Fabulous in 2003.

IMDb Mini Biography By: LC

Spouse

Adrian Edmondson

(11 May 1985 - present) 3 children

Trivia

The comedy partner of Dawn French

Has three daughters: Eleanor, Beatrice and Freya Edmondson.

The name of her character, Edina Monsoon, on "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992) is a play on the name "Eddie Monsoon," which in turn is a play on her husband, Adrian Edmondson's surname that he has used as a character name in comedy performances.

Can do a very accurate impression of Irish actress Amanda Burton and used it in "Witless Silence", a "French and Saunders" (1987) spoof of Burton's TV series "Silent Witness" (1996).

Was revealed that she and partner Dawn French declined Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) honors "for services to comedy drama" in 2001. [December 2003]

Won a People's Choice Award for "Favorite Movie Villain" for playing the wicked Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2 (2004) (January 2005)

The Eurythmics' songs 'Jennifer', (from the album Sweet Dreams are made of this), and 'Adrian' (from the album Be yourself tonight)are dedicated to her and her husband.

Presented Seth Lakeman with the Folk Singer Of The Year award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2007.

Got a voice coach to help her sing for the Fairy Godmother's opening number in Shrek 2 (2004).

Because she was in the midst of filming another season of "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992), her vocal performance in Shrek 2 (2004) was recorded in England.

Performed all her own singing in Shrek 2 (2004).

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