What happened to Joanna Lumley of “The New Avengers”?
—Peter Dolan, Athens, Pa.
“The New Avengers” left the air in 1977, so that is a lot of territory to cover, but since that time, the one show that Lumley, 66, is best known for is the British comedy “Absolutely Fabulous,” or “Ab Fab” as it is known to its fans. It ran 1992–1996, 2001-2004, and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with new episodes both in the UK and here in the States on BBC America.
Lumley’s other TV series credits include “Mistresses,” “Jam & Jerusalem,” “Sapphire & Steel” and “Sensitive Skin,” and she is also well known for her voiceover work—so much so, that AOL in the UK selected her to record its “You’ve got mail” message.
Her most recent film roles include “EuroTrip,” “Ella Enchanted,” “The Magic Roundabout,” “Corpse Bride,” “Dolls,” “Boogie Woogie,” “Late Bloomers” and “This Beautiful Fantastic.”
Born in British India, as it was known back then, Lumley is also an activist who is known for her support of Gurkhas, the exiled people of Tibet, and the Kondha tribe of India. Her interest in the Gurkhas is personal. Her father was a Gurkha officer who served during WWII.
In addition to her acting roles, Lumley has appeared in and produced several documentaries for British television, including “Joanna Lumley’s Nile” in 2010 and “Joanna Lumley’s Greek Odyssey” in 2011. For her contributions to the United Kingdom, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1995, and she is also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS).
Lumley is married with an adult son from a previous relationship. To read more about her in her own words, you can pick up a copy of her autobiography, “No Room for Secrets,” which was released in 2005.
