Jennifer Saunders recalls Absolutely Fabulous scenes male execs didn't approve of
The sitcom is the subject of a new documentary on Gold.
Jennifer Saunders has revealed which element of Absolutely Fabulous left male executives uncomfortable, ahead of a documentary special reflecting on the impact of the legendary sitcom.
The series starred Saunders and Joanna Lumley as PR exec Eddie and fashion director Patsy respectively, whose antics entertained the nation across five seasons of television and one successful spin-off film.
The illustrious run is fondly looked back upon by those who made the show and some celebrity fans in Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out, a new special by Gold that airs on Thursday 17th October.
Speaking in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, Saunders recalled the launch of the show: "It went out on BBC Two to begin with, which was more like Channel 4 in those days — you could push boundaries a bit. There was no great expectation."
She went on to reveal that "some male execs weren’t that impressed by women being drunk… but the show got audiences".
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Indeed, it was the outrageous antics of Eddie and Patsy that won the hearts of viewers and kept them coming back for more than two decades, but co-star Jane Horrocks also acknowledged that they provoked disdain from some at the time.
"Looking back, it was brave that it was pretty much an all-female cast," said Horrocks. "And the 'laddish' behaviour wasn’t typically approved of — I don’t think that people had seen women doing that before."
However, Saunders clarified that the show's trailblazing nature wasn't intentional. She continued: "It was never a conscious thing — we were just going for laughs and representing characters we knew actually existed in that world.
"Eddie and Patsy were never written as role models — we wanted people to be a little bit horrified!"
Co-star Joanna Lumley concurred, adding: "The reason it has lasted is because people love to laugh, and those two ghastly women provided the broadest canvas for comedy.
"I think our rehearsal rooms, with Jane, Julia and our beloved June [Whitfield], were the happiest places on earth.
"Wherever I go now I’m offered champagne, which is entirely thanks to Jennifer, and Edina and Patsy’s passion for Bolly. Cheers, sweeties!"
For more on Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out and other upcoming titles, pick up the latest edition of Radio Times.
Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out will air on Gold at 9pm on 17th October. The original episodes air at 9pm on Gold every weeknight in October, or stream them on ITVX Premium.
Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
