Absolutely Fabulous cast to reunite for new one-off special - details

Virgin Radio

19 Jun 2024, 12:03

The cast of Absolutely Fabulous will reunite for a one-off special to celebrate one of the most beloved British sitcoms. 

The retrospective documentary will see Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley, who played glamorous PR exec Eddie Monsoon and fashionista friend Patsy Stone, come together with actress Julia Sawalha, who played Eddie’s long-suffering daughter Saffy Monsoon, as well as Bubble star Jane Horrocks, in their first reunion since 2016. 

The special, titled Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out, will take viewers down memory lane to expose behind-the-scenes secrets, celebrate the show’s ground-breaking influence on comedy and pay tribute to the late Dame June Whitfield, who played Eddie’s mother. She passed away aged 93 in 2018. 

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The star-studded special will see a number appearances from celebrity cameos as well as famous fans, who will share exclusive anecdotes and backstage stories from the stylish series. 

There’ll be plenty to explore with the doors of the show’s impeccable wardrobe and archive being flung open, with scripts, costumes and memorabilia from the rehearsal room getting a new outing. 

Edina actress Jennifer said in a statement: “I loved making Ab Fab but I can’t remember a great deal, so much of this retrospective is a revelation to me. Thank you Gold for this kind and helpful programme."

Patsy star Joanna added: "It was a fabulous wander down memory lane by actresses who only have the faintest grip on reality. Really thrilling, and I hope vastly entertaining. I loved every second."

Jennifer and Joanna starred as the chain-smoking, Bolly-quaffing pair from 1992 to 2003. The dynamically disastrous duo returned in 2004 for a Christmas special, a three-part series (2012) and a feature film (2016), but it could have been a very different outcome for the two.

Fool Me Once actress Lumley recently revealed that Saunders was tempted to kill off the much-loved characters, before she was persuaded otherwise. 

Speaking to My Weekly, Lumley shared: "I utterly adore Patsy and the thing is, she can't be destroyed. I hope I'm not saying anything out of turn, but Jennifer said at one time, 'Shall we just kill them off and bury them?'"

The Dame continued: “I wrote back the fastest email return I’ve ever written. I said, ‘No, we’ve promised the world we will never die! And to be honest, if all that vodka and champagne they’ve necked over the years hasn’t done the job, then why on earth would their creator be able to do it?’”

Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out will air on Gold later this year.