Joanna Lumley
Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley DBE FRGS (born 1 May 1946) is a British actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012), and was nominated for the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the Broadway revival of La Bête. In 2013, she received the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards, and in 2017 she was honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship award.
Lumley's other television credits include The New Avengers (1976–1977), Sapphire & Steel (1979–1982), Sensitive Skin (2005–2007), Jam & Jerusalem (2006–2008) and Finding Alice (2021–present) as well as playing Elaine Perkins in Coronation Street in 1973. Her film appearances include On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982), Shirley Valentine (1989), James and the Giant Peach (1996), Ella Enchanted (2004), Corpse Bride (2005), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie (2016). She had roles in two episodes of Are You Being Served? (1973–1975) written by Jeremy Lloyd, whom she had married and divorced three years prior to her first appearance on the show.
Lumley is an advocate and human rights activist for Survival International and the Gurkha Justice Campaign. She supports charities and animal welfare groups, such as Compassion in World Farming and Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals. Lumley was made a Dame (DBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to drama, entertainment and charity.
Acted in
Twiggy
2025
Jewels of the Mediterranean
2025
as Narrator
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out
2024
as Self
My Week with Maisy
2024
as Mrs. Foster
Fool Me Once
2024
as Judith Burkett
imagine... French & Saunders: Pointed, Bitchy, Bitter
2023
as Self
Joanna Lumley's Spice Trail Adventure
2023
as Self - Presenter
Joanna Lumley: My Best Bits - In My Own Words
2023
as Self
Joanna Lumley's Great Cities of the World
2022
as Self - Presenter
Quentin Blake – The Drawing of My Life
2021
as Self
Joanna Lumley and the Human Swan
2021
as Presenter
Blankety Blank
2021
Falling for Figaro
2021
as Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop
Rosie Jones' Trip Hazard
2021
as Narrator
The Picture of Dorian Gray
2021
as Lady Narborough
The Vicar of Dibley: Inside Out
2021
as Self
Joanna Lumley’s Home Sweet Home – Travels in My Own Land
2021
Joanna Lumley's Britain
2021
as Self - Host
Finding Alice
2021
as Sarah
Coronation Street: 60 Unforgettable Years
2020
as Narrator
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse
2020
as Narrator (voice)
Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime
2020
as Self
Joanna Lumley's Unseen Adventures
2020
as Cast
Joanna Lumley's Hidden Caribbean: Havana to Haiti
2020
as Herself - Presenter
In Search of Dracula
2020
as Herself
RuPaul's Drag Race UK
2019
as Self - Guest Judge
Counting Tigers
2019
as Narrator (voice)
Celebrity Gogglebox
2019
as Self
7 Up & Me
2019
as Narrator (voice)
20 Years of the Black Eyed Peas
2018
as Herself - Host
Joanna Lumley's Silk Road Adventure
2018
as Self - Presenter
Summer Camp Island
2018
as Adult Susie (voice)
Finding Your Feet
2017
as Jackie
Joanna and Jennifer: Absolutely Champers
2017
as Self - Presenter
And the Winner Isn't
2017
as Self
Paddington 2
2017
as Felicity Fanshaw
Joanna Lumley's India
2017
as Herself
Joanna Lumley's Postcards From My Travels
2017
Carnage: Swallowing the Past
2017
as Herself (voice)
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves
2016
as Comedy Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joanna Lumley's Japan
2016
as Herself
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie
2016
as Patsy Stone
Me Before You
2016
as Mary Rawlinson
Attenborough at 90
2016
as Self
Joanna Lumley: Elvis and Me
2015
as Self
Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Adventure
2015
as Self - Presenter
Absolutely Anything
2015
as Fenella
Britain's Busiest Airport: Heathrow
2015
as Narrator (voice)
She's Funny That Way
2015
as Vivian Claremont
Bette Midler: One Night Only
2014
as Self - Host
50 Years of BBC Two Comedy
2014
as Narrator (voice)
Joanna Lumley Meets Will.I.Am
2014
as Presenter
Gangsta Granny
2013
as The Queen
The Wolf of Wall Street
2013
as Aunt Emma
The Great Comic Relief Bake Off
2013
as Self - Contestant
Joanna Lumley: The Search for Noah's Ark
2012
as Herself - Presenter
The Making of a Lady
2012
as Lady Maria Byrne
The Genius of Roald Dahl
2012
as Herself
Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey
2011
as Herself
Wogan on Wodehouse
2011
as Self
Late Bloomers
2011
as Charlotte
Justin Lee Collins: Good Times
2010
as Self
The National Television Awards Backstage Live
2010
Boogie Woogie
2009
as Mrs. Alfreda Rhinegold
Ian Fleming: Where Bond Began
2008
as Herself
Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights
2008
as Herself
Mistresses
2008
as Vivienne Roden
A Bucket O' French and Saunders
2007
Lewis
2007
as Esme Ford
Jam and Jerusalem
2006
as Delilah Stagg
Jam and Jerusalem
2006
as Delilah
Betjeman and Me
2006
Philip and Elizabeth
2006
Sensitive Skin
2005
as Davina Jackson
Corpse Bride
2005
as Maudeline Everglot (voice)
Final Chance to Save
2005
as Herself
The Magic Roundabout
2005
as Ermintrude (voice)
Agatha Christie's Marple
2004
as Dolly Bantry
Stories of Lost Souls
2004
as Last in Line
Ella Enchanted
2004
as Dame Olga
EuroTrip
2004
as Hostel Clerk
Standing Room Only
2004
as Last in line
My Dad's the Prime Minister
2003
Posh Nosh
2003
as Narrator (voice)
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
2002
as Self - Guest Announcer
Up in Town
2002
as Madison Blakelock
The Cat's Meow
2001
as Elinor Glyn
Mirrorball
2000
as Jackie Riviera
Whispers: An Elephant's Tale
2000
as Half Tusk (voice)
Maybe Baby
2000
as Shiela
Dr Willoughby
1999
as Donna Sinclair
Mad Cows
1999
as Gillian
The Foxbusters
1999
as Sims / Evita / Voracity (voice)
Parting Shots
1999
as Freda
Nancherrow
1999
Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death
1999
as The Female Doctor
Alice in Wonderland
1999
as Tiger Lily (voice)
Nancherrow
1999
as Diana Carey-Lewis
A Rather English Marriage
1998
as Liz Franks
Absolutely Fabulous: A Life
1998
as Patsy Stone (archive footage)
The Tale of Sweeney Todd
1998
as Mrs. Lovett
Coming Home
1998
as Diana Carey-Lewis
Coming Home
1998
as Diana Carey-Lewis
Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunderdragon
1997
as Herself
Prince Valiant
1997
as Morgan Le Fey
Jonathan Creek
1997
as Rosalind Tartikoff
The Forgotten Toys
1997
as Annie (voice)
Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout
1996
as Patsy Stone
James and the Giant Peach
1996
as Aunt Spiker
Innocent Lies
1995
as Lady Helena Graves
How to Be Absolutely Fabulous
1995
as Patsy Stone (archive footage)
Cold Comfort Farm
1995
as Mary Smiling
The Forgotten Toys
1995
as Annie (voice)
Girl Friday
1994
as Presenter
Class Act
1994
as Kate Swift
Absolutely Fabulous
1992
as Patsy
Cluedo
1990
as Mrs. Peacock
A Ghost in Monte Carlo
1990
as Lady Drayton
Plunder
1990
Shirley Valentine
1989
as Marjorie Majors
Roseanne
1988
Comic Relief
1988
Going Live!
1987
as Self
French & Saunders
1987
as Self
Lovejoy
1986
as Victoria Cavero
Oxbridge Blues
1984
as Gigi
The Glory Boys
1984
as Helen
Mistral's Daughter
1984
as Lally Longbridge
Electric Blue Special: Nude Celebrity Special
1984
The Weather in the Streets
1983
as Kate
Curse of the Pink Panther
1983
as Countess Chandra
Trail of the Pink Panther
1982
as Marie Jouvet
Electric Blue - The Movie
1982
as (archive footage)
The Kenny Everett Television Show
1982
as Various
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage
1980
Electric Blue 002
1980
as (archive footage)
The Plank
1979
as Hitcher
Sapphire & Steel
1979
as Sapphire
The New Avengers
1976
as Purdey
The Cuckoo Waltz
1975
as Harriet Paulden
The Satanic Rites of Dracula
1973
as Jessica Van Helsing
Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!
1973
as Miss Parkyn
Are You Being Served?
1972
as Miss French
The House That Dripped Blood
1971
Games That Lovers Play
1971
as Fanny Hill
The Ballad of Tam Lin
1970
as Georgia
The Breaking of Bumbo
1970
as Susie
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
1969
as The English Girl
Some Girls Do
1969
as Robot Saboteur (uncredited)
Steptoe and Son
1962
as Bunty
The Avengers
1961
as Purdey
Eurovision Song Contest
1956
as Self - UK’s Spokesperson
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Nominee
The BAFTA Awards
1949
as Host
The Snowman Live Stage Show
as Narrator
The body in the library
Starting Out
as Mrs Robertson
Amandaland
as Felicity