Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley is celebrating her 80th birthday and the iconic actress has no plans to retire just yet, and she’s revealed her anti-ageing secrets
Dame Joanna Lumley attends a memorial service for Dame Jilly Cooper at Southwark Cathedral on January 30, 2026 in London, England (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Joanna Lumley might be approaching 80, but the beloved actress insists ‘age is just a number’ – and she’s more interested in looking ‘forward than back’.
The Absolutely Fabulous icon, renowned for her portrayal of the champagne-swilling, cigarette-puffing Patsy in the beloved 90s sitcom, reveals that stepping away from work isn’t on the cards. “I am very lucky to have been and continue to be a busy girl, thank god. Long may that continue!”
Considered a legend, she confesses the notion leaves her feeling both “delighted and… overwhelmed. If you’d told me 40 years ago that I’d have this following, it would have seemed ludicrous,” she reflects.
Joanna was born on May 1, 1946 in Kashmir, India. Her parents were ‘terrifically light on the reins’ – and her childhood unfolded across Hong Kong and Malaysia, before she relocating to England at age eight.
Lumley launched her career as a photographic model, without any formal acting credentials. Yet she would emerge as one of Britain’s most celebrated performers, embodying the sophisticated spy Purdey in 60s classic The New Avengers, a ‘Bond girl’ in 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and naturally, later on, the unforgettable Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, reports the Mirror.
However, it’s Patsy who remains her defining role. “To this day, wherever I go in the world, there is always a gaggle of Patsy fans, often dolled up to the nines and looking terribly glamorous. Very few females. Mostly men!” A Patsy Stone waxwork was once created for Madame Tussauds, complete with her iconic cigarette and trademark blonde, bouffant hairstyle.
“Isn’t that great?”, Lumley remarks. “I’ve never been back since the unveiling. It’s bad enough seeing yourself on screen – seeing yourself in 3D is sort of weird!”
Lumley has consistently been celebrated for her timeless beauty, and frequently champions the budget-friendly €6.50 Astral Intensive Moisture Cream as her go-to beauty secret. However, she takes a non-judgmental stance on those who opt for cosmetic procedures in their pursuit of youthfulness.
“If it’s there and you can afford it darling, go for it. Seriously. If your teeth are bad – get them seen to. If you want the wrinkles removed, go for it. If you feel better for it, then do it. It’s absolutely OK with me!”
Lumley acknowledges you ‘can’t stop time’ – but attributes her continued youthful appearance to her four-decade commitment to vegetarianism.
“I do believe that not eating meat holds back the ageing process. But if vegetarianism is not for you, so be it. My husband Stephen (orchestral conductor Stephen Barlow) isn’t a veggie, and he’s wonderful.
“But most people used to eat meat three times a day – bacon and sausages for breakfast, a chop at lunchtime, a meat dish at night. Who does that these days? That’s a move for the better. Eating so much convenience and junk food definitely isn’t, though.”
Beyond Patsy, Lumley has enjoyed such a wealth of memorable acting roles throughout her career that selecting standout moments proves challenging.
“That’s hard because I have been in the LOT, darling, everything from On The Buses to Are You Being Served – if my memory is correct, as a German shopper and the other time as a visiting saleswoman. I’ll do anything to earn an honest crust!”
A pivotal television appearance that propelled her early career was featuring on the Morecambe and Wise Show back in 1969 – and she treasures her time working alongside the late comedy icons.
“Oh, Eric and Ernie were wonderful. The hardest thing when working with them was to keep a straight face during the supposed serious bits.”
This came just two years after welcoming her only child Jamie, now an acclaimed photographer, at age 21, following her separation from his father, Michael Claydon – also a photographer, and raising him single-handedly.
A short appearance on the cobbles followed in 1973, portraying Ken Barlow’s then-girlfriend Elaine Perkins. Though it lasted merely two months, for Lumley it remains a badge of honour.
“I think everyone should appear in Coronation Street at least once. It’s the best of the soaps. I cherish my scenes with Bill Roach.”
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