Spice Girl Emma Bunton and comedian Ruby Wax are among the celebrities set to join Jennifer Saunders and Dame Joanna Lumley in a special reunion for the hit sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. The programme will reflect on the show’s legacy, with familiar faces such as Julia Sawalha and Jane Horrocks joining the reunion. Other stars like Rev’s Tom Hollander, actress Meera Syal, Saltburn director Emerald Fennell, and director Richard Curtis will also make appearances on the show, which will air on comedy channel Gold.
Saunders, the writer and creator of Absolutely Fabulous, expressed her excitement about the reunion, stating she can’t recall much from the show, making the retrospective a revelation. Dame Joanna Lumley shared her enthusiasm, describing the experience as a “fabulous wander down memory lane.” The special will pay tribute to the late Dame June Whitfield, who played Eddie’s mother on the show.
The iconic series, known affectionately as ‘Ab Fab’ by fans, first aired in 1992, following the escapades of PR boss Edina Monsoon and her friend Patsy Stone in 60s London. The reunion special, titled Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out, will air on Gold at 9 pm on October 17, with original episodes screening exclusively on the channel every weeknight throughout October at 9 pm.
The programme will feature archived items such as original scripts, high-fashion outfits by costume designer Rebecca Hale, and behind-the-scenes glamour captured by the show’s hair and makeup artist, Jan Sewell. Absolutely Fabulous became a cult classic for its comedic take on the characters’ hedonistic lifestyles and the subsequent personal crises they faced, often resolved by Eddie’s daughter Saffy and her naive assistant Bubble.
Fans of the show can look forward to this special reunion as a nostalgic trip back to the outrageous world of Absolutely Fabulous, celebrating its enduring influence on British comedy.