Absolutely Fabulous. Image shows from L to R: Bubble (Jane Horrocks), Saffron (Julia Sawalha), Edina (Jennifer Saunders), Mother (June Whitfield), Patsy (Joanna Lumley). Copyright: Saunders And French Productions / BBC
Absolutely Fabulous

Absolutely Fabulous

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC One / BBC Two
  • 1992 - 2012
  • 39 episodes (5 series)

Public relations maven Edina and best friend Patsy drive sensible daughter Saffron up the wall with their self-absorbed, substance-abusing escapades. Stars Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha, June Whitfield and Jane Horrocks

  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 436

Episode menu

Series 4, Episode 6 - Menopause

A major e-mail mishap leads to an exodus of clients from Eddy's business. Whilst she struggles to salvage a morsel from her TV and PR enterprises, Patsy is diagnosed with osteoporosis, and Saffy forces the pair to attend a meeting of Menopause Anonymous.

Further details

Absolutely Fabulous. Image shows from L to R: Edina (Jennifer Saunders), Patsy (Joanna Lumley). Copyright: Saunders And French Productions / BBC

Edina's PR business is on its last legs after Bubble manages to e-mail the entirety of Eddy's private correspondence to everyone in her address book. Edina's arch-rival Claudia Bing wastes no time in picking up her clients and trying to buy her out.

Meanwhile, osteoporosis kicks in for Patsy, who is pleased to learn that she has the lowest bone density on record. Saffron invites a menopause support group to the house and forces Edina and Patsy to attend, terrified of a vision she has of the pair in the future - needy, falling apart but still hedonistic.

Edina decides that the only way to save her business is to sell off the television company. Claudia Bing is shocked and impressed when she learns of 'Radical TV' and quickly buys Katy Grin's half of the company when Katy announces her intention to sell.

Eddy shrewdly manages to flog off her half of the company, which currently has no programmes, to Claudia in return for a hefty sum and the return of several key PR clients. With business back on track, Edina celebrates with Patsy, whose hormone tablets have made her much homelier.

Saffron has a terrifying nightmare of Patsy threatening to impregnate herself with a vial of Mick Jagger's sperm unless she is allowed to move in to the house, but wakes to find that Edina and Patsy are back to their old selves.

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 5th October 2001
Time
9pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Saturday 17th December 2011 12:15am Gold
Monday 19th March 2012 11:50pm Gold
Monday 26th March 2012 12:20am Gold
Monday 26th March 2012 2:15am Gold
Wednesday 10th July 2013 11:20pm Gold
Thursday 11th July 2013 2:15am Gold
Thursday 5th June 2014 11:00pm Gold
Friday 6th June 2014 2:00am Gold
Wednesday 26th November 2014 11:20pm Gold
Thursday 27th November 2014 2:20am Gold
Thursday 24th December 2015 12:45am Gold
Thursday 24th December 2015 3:05am Gold
Thursday 31st March 2016 11:20pm Gold
Friday 1st April 2016 3:00am Gold
Monday 27th June 2016 2:45am Gold
Thursday 23rd February 2017 10:40pm W
Friday 28th April 2017 9:40pm Gold
Tuesday 28th November 2017 12:20am Gold
Friday 1st December 2017 12:20am W
Friday 1st December 2017 10:20pm W
Thursday 29th March 2018 9:20pm Gold
Friday 13th July 2018 2:15am Gold
Friday 13th July 2018 11:00pm Gold
Monday 14th February 2022 12:20am Gold
Monday 14th February 2022 3:30am Gold
Sunday 26th June 2022 12:00am Gold
Monday 16th January 2023 11:40pm Gold
Saturday 4th February 2023 12:40am Gold
Sunday 26th March 2023 3:15am Gold
Monday 27th March 2023 12:30am Gold
Monday 15th May 2023 2:45am Gold
Tuesday 16th May 2023 12:00am Gold

Cast & crew

Cast
Jennifer Saunders Edina
Joanna Lumley Patsy
Julia Sawalha Saffron
June Whitfield Mother
Jane Horrocks Bubble
Guest cast
Harriet Thorpe Fleur
Helen Lederer Catriona
Mo Gaffney Bo (Marshall's Wife)
Christopher Ryan Marshall (Edina's Ex-husband)
Celia Imrie Claudia Bing
Jane Horrocks Katy Grin
Lesley Hornby (as Twiggy Lawson) Twiggy
Antony Cotton Damon
Tilly Blackwood Lady Candida De Denison-Bender
Jeillo Edwards Jeillo
Joanna Bowen Jobo
Ruby Wax Beth
Leigh Lawson Self
Dale Winton Self
Writing team
Jennifer Saunders Writer
Ruby Wax Script Editor
Production team
Christine Gernon Director
Jon Plowman Producer
Jonathan Paul Llewellyn (as Jonathan P. Llewellyn) Producer
Chris Wadsworth Editor
Harry Banks Production Designer
Simon Brint Composer

Share this page