CALL ME GRANDMA
THERE’S A COUPLE OF CUTE REASONS WHY JENNIFER’S BEEN OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT OF LATE
Jennifer Saunders’ fabulous family life
British comedienne and actress Jennifer Saunders has opened up about her love and family life, and lovingly blames her new grandchildren for helping to slow down her workload in recent years.
The reclusive star was back on the big screen two years ago when she reunited with Joanna Lumley (71) for a movie based on their long-running TV series Absolutely Fabulous.
But as fans press for a sequel, 59-year-old Jennifer admits her three grandchildren and happy life with her Young
Ones star husband Adrian Edmondson (61) now occupy her most of the time.
“I am a grandmother,” she says. “It’s brilliant, that is why I get so little done.“
And despite being a once prolific writer, Jennifer – whose daughter Ella (32) gave her a third grandchild, granddaughter Ivy in 2016 – admits she did find time to attend all three births.
“I was present at the births,” reveals Jennifer. “I did not force my way in, I was invited.
“It is an amazing thing as when you are giving birth, you don’t have much to do with it. I got to see the baby coming out, then them wrapping it up. I loved it. It’s gorgeous.“
Jennifer’s busy family life meant she was forced into a bet with her comedy partner Dawn French (60) on whether her long-awaited 2016 Ab Fab film would ever be made.
The film reunited her characters Edina and Patsy as they lived it up alongside British model Kate Moss and French fashion designer Jean Paul-Gaultier on the London party scene.
“I had a bet with Dawn that I would have to pay her $20,000 if I did not finish the script,” she tells. “It was only a one-way bet. I literally vomited it out on New Year’s Eve in 2015.
“I do need a deadline or sheer panic to work, but I do have moments when I go to the computer and I throw my arms down like, ‘I can’t be bothered – Candy Crush is calling.’”
She adds, “My worst habit is just not getting anywhere fast. Being late, procrastinating. I do it all the time. My worst habit is thinking everywhere
takes 10 minutes to get to. Yeah, being late.“
Although Jennifer has not worked with her comedy partner Dawn of late, she has her husband Adrian to rely on each day. And despite the pressures on modern-day show business marriages, theirs continues.
“We were 26 when we got together,” she remembers. “I knew he was the one probably five years into me knowing him.
“We were working together in close groups. If you are working together, it can be a bit odd to kind of ’pair off’. We were a bit embarrassed at first.
“We would not tell people. We would book into hotels in separate rooms if we were filming – it was stupid stuff. Dawn always thought it would happen, before I knew.“
Today’s modern comedians look up to Jennifer and Dawn as their inspiration, and because of the duo’s pioneering work on the alternative comedy circuit.
But despite their awardwinning career, Jennifer has never seen herself as a role model, saying, “I don’t think you can set out to be a role model. I don’t think that happens. You either are or you aren’t.
“I would like to have been more of a rebel and behaved
a lot worse. There is still time actually, but I am genetically not that type. I am quite sensible, generally. I am constantly disappointing myself by how not bad I am.“
But despite not seeing herself as an example to others, she does sometimes get jealous of other stars’ talents.
“It is not so much people’s careers as to other people’s brains,” admits Jennifer. “Like Ellen DeGeneres – just her timing and the way she can make any line funny. There are people whose brains I am jealous of, like Harry Hill, and people who can be surreal like Lucille Ball’s way of falling over.
“There are things about other people, like Steve Martin in his hey-day doing stand-up. It was just immense and so influential on everyone.
“Steve Martin and Robin Williams. Everyone has tried to copy them. These sort of people I thought were fabulous.“
And despite the fast-paced world of comedy, Jennifer says it is the natural beauty of life that keeps her laughing.
“What makes me laugh?” she ponders when asked. “People falling over. That is funny. Always funny.”