There’s nothing bland about funny Blandings
THE BBC’s teatime family comedy Blandings returns for a new series tonight.
And Jennifer Saunders says she couldn’t wait to get back — to spit out some venom.
Jennifer plays lady of the house Connie in the series, sister of Timothy Spall’s absent minded Lord Emsworth.
“I think Connie has some of the best lines,” says Jennifer. “I had some brilliant insults such as, ‘I trust you as far as I could spit a weasel’ and ‘I’d saw your head off and drop kick it into the herbaceous border’.
“And she says to Freddie, ‘I shall take you to the zoological gardens and feed you to the lizards in thin, bloody slices’.”
The series is set in 1929 in the fictional Blandings Castle, home to the madcap family struggling to keep itself in order.
The Fermanagh filming location was as much a hit with Jennifer as the spiky dialogue.
“I love it especially because it’s so out of the way,” admits Jennifer, who stayed in one of the visitor cottages on the estate used for shooting.
“I love the colours of the trees and the views of the lake. And the stars at night are just incredible.
“It’s an amazing place to stay. I’d take my dog Oliver for lovely walks if I had a spare hour or day off.
“She likes the location and was very content with my dressing room, which had a very aristocratic four poster bed.”
Jack Farthing is also back as feckless son Freddie with Tim Vine joining the cast.
He takes on the role of Beach, the long suffering but loyal butler at the castle.
Blandings, BBC1, tonight, 6.30pm.