‘Everything is a product of its time’
Comedian and actress Helen Lederer talks about her passion for promoting female comedy and dealing with the changing attitudes towards humour
As careers in comedy go, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who has been as consistently busy and successful as Helen Lederer. The 68-year-old comedian and actress was barely off our screens in the 80s and 90s and starred in hugely successful shows such as Naked Video, Bottom, The Young Ones and Absolutely Fabulous.
Helen rose to fame alongside the likes of Ade Edmondson, the late Rik Mayall, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French and made us all laugh with iconic characters such as the Drunk Sloane in Naked Video and dizzy journalist Catriona in Absolutely Fabulous.
But even though some of the shows that she’s most well known for were on our screens over 20 years ago, comedy remains a huge part of Helen’s life, and one of her current passions is the Comedy Women In Print prize, of which she is the founder. This is the UK & Ireland’s first literary prize dedicated to celebrating witty women’s writing and as we chat to Helen at the first ever Winner’s Event at the Groucho Club in London, it’s clear that she’s a huge champion of female talent.
She says, “I think we’ve seen a wonderful proliferation of top-class original funny content on TV – probably the conduit for that was Phoebe Waller-bridge [who wrote and starred in Fleabag] and the person before that was Miranda Hart [of Miranda fame].”
The star, who was born in Wales but grew up in south-east London, is aware of the fact that what was acceptable on TV two decades ago would not necessarily be given the green light by TV execs now. Reflecting on Bottom, the sitcom written by Ade Edmondson and Rik Mayall about two crude and sexist flatmates, Helen says, “What is perceived as normal language and reference of humour has changed, so everything is a product of its time, and a lot of people have said certain things wouldn’t be made now.”
Helen, who played a couple of different characters in the comedy, adds, “Now one probably wouldn’t write stuff which is mocking the female form in a way that could cause offence, but we’re learning new ways to get people to laugh.” When we ask Helen if she was ever a victim of sexism herself, she says young women today “would be aghast” by what went on. She explains, “There was still an assumption of behaviour from certain men, so it was kind of an odd time to try and be an individual, but also deal with certain expectations that were rife.” Perhaps one of Helen’s most famous roles was Ab Fab’s Catriona, and we’re curious to know if she thinks Jennifer Saunders should make a sequel to Absolutely Fabulous The Movie, which came out in 2016.
“I think there is something very beautiful and arresting that Ab Fab has made so many people happy,” she says. “I think there is always an appetite which chimes with that huge affection. Is there another story to tell? Maybe there is because Jennifer is such a talented writer. Perhaps there is room for a sequel, and it could be even more outrageous than before.” Helen, who has been married twice - once to journalist Roger Alton and now to Chris Brown, who’s a GP – admits she’s no longer in touch with her former Ab Fab costars, such as Joanna Lumley and Julia Sawalha, but says she wishes only good things for them. “I don’t go to tea with them all the time – if at all, but I’m a great fan, and I think they’re all amazing.”
As for the type of shows she enjoys watching these days, the actress tells us that HBO series The White Lotus, which she describes as “dark, harsh and delicious”, was a firm favourite. She binge-watched it with her 32-year-old daughter, the actress Hannah Lederer-alton.
Helen tells us she was particularly inspired by 61-yearold Jennifer Coolidge and says the Hollywood actress made her feel that anything is possible for women of a certain age.
“If things like White Lotus are getting such a cult following with the wonderful rebirth of Jennifer Coolidge – she got the part, and wow it’s suddenly as if she’s been reborn – you go, ‘Wow!’ She’s humorous, glamorous, not stick thin – hurrah! There’s hope for us all!”
As well as being known as a hugely gifted comic actress, Helen also dipped her toe into reality TV back in 2017 when she was a housemate on the 20th series of Celebrity Big Brother. When we comment on how much quieter she was in the house than we’d expected, Helen says, “Well, they have to edit it for storylines, but if you remember that was quite an explosive year [the late Sarah Harding had a steamy romance with American star Chad Johnston]. It has been said that I came across as almost normal and anyone who knows me knows that’s hilarious, because I’m not!”
Would she ever be tempted to go back in the house now that the show is said to be making a comeback?
“I’ve have to have a lot of hypnosis and therapy before, so never say never,” she tells us. “I’d need a support system before I went in because it’s quite lonely.”
In an age where many celebrities find themselves being cancelled for expressing certain views, we wonder if this is something Helen spends much time worrying about. She said, “I’m a pretty boring, inoffensive person so I think what would I be cancelled for?”
‘I’d have to have hypnosis to do Celebrity Big Brother again’