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Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an English actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two

BAFTA TV Awards The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955. Background The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...

for her role as

Patsy Stone Patsy Stone is one of the two main characters from the British television sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous'', portrayed by actress Joanna Lumley. Background Patsy was the last of a string of children born to an aging Bohemian mother in Paris, who g ...

in the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

sitcom ''

Absolutely Fabulous ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (also known as ''Ab Fab'') is a British television sitcom based on the ''French and Saunders'' sketch, "Modern Mother and Daughter", created by Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. The show was created and written by Saund ...

'' (1992–2012), and was nominated for the 2011

Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play The Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actresses for quality supporting roles in a Broadway play. Th ...

for the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

revival of '' La Bête''. In 2013, she received the Special Recognition Award at the

National Television Awards The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are vot ...

, and in 2017 she was honoured with the

BAFTA Fellowship The BAFTA Fellowship, or the Academy Fellowship, is a lifetime achievement award presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in recognition of "outstanding achievement in the art forms of the moving image". The award is t ...

award. Lumley's other television credits include '' The New Avengers'' (1976–1977), ''

Sapphire & Steel ''Sapphire & Steel'' is a British television supernatural sci-fi/fantasy series starring David McCallum as Steel and Joanna Lumley as Sapphire. Produced by ATV, it ran from 1979 to 1982 on the ITV network. The series was created by Peter J. ...

'' (1979–1982), '' Sensitive Skin'' (2005–2007), '' Jam & Jerusalem'' (2006–2008) and '' Finding Alice'' (2021–present) as well as playing Elaine Perkins in '' Coronation Street'' in 1973. Her film appearances include '' On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' (1969), ''

Trail of the Pink Panther A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. T ...

'' (1982), ''

Shirley Valentine ''Shirley Valentine'' is a one-character play by Willy Russell. Taking the form of a monologue by a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife, it focuses on her life before and after a transforming holiday abroad. Plot Wondering what has ...

'' (1989), ''

James and the Giant Peach ''James and the Giant Peach'' is a popular children's novel written in 1961 by British author Roald Dahl. The first edition, published by Alfred Knopf, featured illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. There have been re-illustrated versions of ...

'' (1996), ''

Ella Enchanted ''Ella Enchanted'' is a Newbery HonorCorpse Bride ''Corpse Bride'' (also known as ''Tim Burton's Corpse Bride'') is a 2005 stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton with a screenplay by John August, Caroline Thompson and Pamela Pettler based o ...

'' (2005), '' The Wolf of Wall Street'' (2013), and '' Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie'' (2016). She had roles in two episodes of ''

Are You Being Served? ''Are You Being Served?'' is a British sitcom created and written by executive producer David Croft (Croft also directed some episodes) and Jeremy Lloyd, with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman, for the BBC. Set in London ...

'' written by

Jeremy Lloyd John Jeremy Lloyd, OBE (22 July 1930 – 23 December 2014) was an English writer, screenwriter, author, poet and actor. He was the co-writer of several successful British sitcoms, including ''Are You Being Served?'' and Allo 'Allo!''. Ear ...

, whom she had married and

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...

d three years previously. Lumley is an advocate and

human rights activist A human rights defender or human rights activist is a person who, individually or with others, acts to promote or protect human rights. They can be journalists, environmentalists, whistleblowers, trade unionists, lawyers, teachers, housing cam ...

for

Survival International Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969, a London based charity that campaigns for the rights of indigenous and/or tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples. The organisation's campaigns generally focus on tribal peo ...

and the Gurkha Justice Campaign. She supports charities and animal welfare groups, such as

Compassion in World Farming Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is a campaigning and lobbying animal welfare organisation. It campaigns against the live export of animals, certain methods of livestock slaughter, and all systems of factory farming. It has received celebr ...

and

Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals Viva! is a British animal rights group, which focuses on promoting veganism. It was founded by Juliet Gellatley in 1994. Viva! carries out undercover investigations to expose the abuse of factory farmed animals and produces information on how ...

. Lumley was made a Dame (DBE) in the

2022 New Year Honours The 2022 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrations ...

for services to drama, entertainment and charity.

Early life

Joanna Lamond Lumley was born on 1 May 1946 in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, in the last days of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

. Both sides of her family had generations of service to the Raj, with many relatives born there. She has an older sister, Aelene. Her mother, Thyra Beatrice Rose (née Weir; 1920–2005), was English. Her grandfather Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Weir (1883–1950) had been born in

Ghazipur Ghazipur is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ghazipur city is the administrative headquarters of the Ghazipur district, one of the four districts that form the Varanasi division of Uttar Pradesh. The city of Ghazipur also constitu ...

and served as an army officer in Kashmir; he was a close friend of the 13th Dalai Lama. Her father, Major James Rutherford Lumley (1917–1999), was born in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...

(now part of Pakistan) with Scottish and English roots. He served as an officer in the British Indian Army's

6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles The 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles was a rifle regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army following India's independence. Originally raised in 1817 as part of the army of the British East India Compa ...

in Burma during World War II, most notably at the

Battle of Mogaung The Battle of Mogaung was a series of engagements that was fought in the Burma Campaign of World War II between 6 and 26 June 1944 at the Burmese town of Mogaung. In brutal fighting, the 77th 'Chindit' Brigade under Brigadier Michael Calvert, l ...

.Family detective: Joanna Lumley
His life was saved by Tul Bahadur Pun. Joanna Lumley's parents married in 1941. She has early memories of living in the tropics. The family went "home" on leave to England, travelling on the

HMT Empire Windrush HMT ''Empire Windrush'', originally MV ''Monte Rosa'', was a passenger liner and cruise ship launched in Germany in 1930. She was owned and operated by the German shipping line in the 1930s under the name ''Monte Rosa''. During World War II she ...

. When her parents returned to Asia, she stayed, boarding at Mickledene School in

Rolvenden Rolvenden is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village is centred on the A28 Ashford to Hastings road, south-west of Tenterden. The settlement of Rolvenden Layne, south of Rolvenden, is also part of th ...

, Kent. She was eight years old, which she later described as “paralysingly young". From 11 to 17 she attended St Mary's Convent School on the Ridge, run by

Community of the Holy Family The Community of the Holy Family (CHF) is an Anglican religious order of nuns, originally founded in the Church of England, but now active in Italy and the United States. History In England In origin, the community was formed of well educated you ...

:Miss Hortin-Smith by Joanna Lumley , Tes News
accessdate: 1 July 2020 :"I especially loved my second boarding school, an Anglo-Catholic convent in the hills behind Hastings. The nuns wore blue stockings and were brainy and lovely. There were 70 boarders and I was happy as a clam." She attended the Lucie Clayton Finishing School in London, after being turned down by the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

at the age of 16.

Career

Lumley spent three years as a photographic model, notably for Brian Duffy, who photographed her with her son, born in 1967. That year she also appeared on the BBC2 programme ''The Impresarios: For Appearance's Sake''. She also worked as a house model for

Jean Muir Jean Elizabeth Muir ( ; 17 July 1928 – 28 May 1995) was a British fashion designer. Early life and career Jean Muir was born in London, the daughter of Cyril Muir, a draper's floor superintendent, and his wife, Phyllis Coy. Her father ...

. Over forty years later, she participated in another photoshoot – again with her son – for Duffy as part of a retrospective of the photographer's work. Lumley appeared in an early episode of the ''

Bruce Forsyth Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson (22 February 1928 – 18 August 2017) was a British entertainer and presenter whose career spanned more than 70 years. Forsyth came to national attention from the late 1950s through the ITV series '' Sunday Nig ...

Show'' in 1966. She appeared in a British television advertisement for Nimble Bread first screened in 1969. Lumley did not receive any formal training at drama school. Her acting career began in 1969 with a small, uncredited role in the film '' Some Girls Do'', and as a

Bond girl A Bond girl is a character who is a love interest or female companion of James Bond in a novel, film or video game. Bond girls occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as Pussy Galore, Plenty O'Toole, Xenia Onatopp, o ...

in '' On Her Majesty's Secret Service'', in which she had two lines as the English girl among the villainous

Ernst Stavro Blofeld Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a character (arts), fictional character and villain from the James Bond series of novels and films, created by Ian Fleming. A criminal mastermind with aspirations of world domination, he is the archenemy of the Secret In ...

's "Angels of Death". Lumley went on to have a brief but memorable role as Elaine Perkins in '' Coronation Street'', in which her character turned down

Ken Barlow Ken Barlow is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by William Roache. He was created by Tony Warren as one of ''Coronation Street''s original characters and December 2020 marked Ken's 60th anni ...

's offer of marriage, as well as roles in other popular television series such as ''

'', ''

Steptoe and Son ''Steptoe and Son'' is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black and w ...

'' and ''

The Protectors ''The Protectors'' is a British television series, an action thriller created by Gerry Anderson. It was Anderson's second TV series to exclusively use live actors as opposed to marionettes (following ''UFO''), and his second to be firmly set in ...

''. In 1973, she made another big screen appearance as Jessica Van Helsing in ''

The Satanic Rites of Dracula ''The Satanic Rites of Dracula'' is a 1973 British horror film directed by Alan Gibson and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It is the eighth film in Hammer's ''Dracula'' series, and the seventh and final one to feature Christopher Lee as Dr ...

'', the last Hammer Dracula film to star Christopher Lee. She also had a role in the comedy film ''

Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! ''Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!'' is a 1974 British political themed-comedy film based on the popular "Whitehall farce" written by Michael Pertwee, who also wrote the screenplay. In the film, a government minister and his best friend co-s ...

'' (1974) alongside

Leslie Phillips Leslie Samuel Phillips (20 April 1924 – 7 November 2022) was an English actor, director, producer and author. He achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases. ...

and

Joan Sims Irene Joan Marion Sims (9 May 1930 – 27 June 2001) was an English actress, best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' franchise, appearing in 24 of the films (the most for any actress). On television, she is known for playing Gran i ...

. She has worked with

Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), '' Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), '' The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993 ...

on two film projects, in ''

'' (1996) and ''

Corpse Bride ''Corpse Bride'' (also known as ''Tim Burton's Corpse Bride'') is a 2005 stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film directed by Mike Johnson and Tim Burton with a screenplay by John August, Caroline Thompson and Pamela Pettler based o ...

'' (2005). She has also appeared alongside

Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and musician. He first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. The two men acted together in ...

in the British romantic comedy ''

Maybe Baby Viktoriya Vladimirovna Lysyuk (; born 27 September 1995), known professionally as MAYBE BABY (), is a Belarusian pop singer and rap artist based in Russia. Early life Victoria Lysyuk was born in the city of Zhabinka in the Brest Region of Belar ...

'' (2000) and alongside

Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, she was among the world's highest-paid actresses in 2 ...

in ''

Ella Enchanted ''Ella Enchanted'' is a Newbery HonorAgatha Christie's Marple ''Agatha Christie's Marple'' (or simply ''Marple'') is a British ITV television programme loosely based on the books and short stories by British crime novelist Agatha Christie. The title character was played by Geraldine McEwan from the firs ...

'', in the episodes; 'The Body in the Library' (2004) & 'The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side' (2009). In 2010, she appeared in a 4-episode guest arc on the

...
drama, ''

Mistresses Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a d ...

'' as Vivienne Roden. In 2013, she appeared in the

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...

crime drama, '' The Wolf of Wall Street''.

Major roles

Lumley has specialised in upper-class parts throughout her career, thanks to her voice and accent. Lumley's first major role was as Purdey in '' The New Avengers'', successor to the secret agent series '' The Avengers'', a role she played in all twenty-six episodes from 1976 to 1977. In 1979, she appeared in another series which acquired a cult following: ''

'', with

David McCallum David Keith McCallum Jr. (born 19 September 1933) is a Scottish actor and musician. He first gained recognition in the 1960s for playing secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the television series '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E''. In recent years, McCall ...

. Conceived as ITV's answer to '' Doctor Who'', Lumley played a mysterious elemental being ("Sapphire") who, with her collaborator, "Steel", dealt with breaches in the fabric of time. In 1986, television producer

Sydney Newman Sydney Cecil Newman (April 1, 1917 – October 30, 1997) was a Canadian film and television producer, who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. After his return to Canada in 1970, Newman w ...

suggested Lumley for the role of the Doctor but his idea was dismissed. Over a decade later Lumley's career was boosted by her portrayal of the louche, selfish and frequently drunk fashion director

, companion to

Jennifer Saunders Jennifer Jane Saunders (born 6 July 1958) is an English actress, comedian, singer and screenwriter. Saunders originally found attention in the 1980s, when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School of ...

' Edina Monsoon in the

...
comedy television series ''

'' (1992–1996, 2001–2004, 2011–2012). '' Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie'' was released in 2016. From 1994 to 1995, Lumley starred alongside Nadine Garner and John Bowe in the British television show ''

Class Act ''Class Act'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Randall Miller and starring hip-hop duo Kid 'n Play. An urban retelling of Mark Twain's ''The Prince and the Pauper'', the film was written by Cynthia Friedlob and John Semper from a s ...

'', playing the part of Kate Swift, an upper-class lady who had fallen on hard times. Other work has included: '' Lovejoy'' as widow Victoria Cavero, ''In the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon'' (1996), a film about a journey made by her grandparents in

Bhutan Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...

, and ''A Rather English Marriage'' (nominated for a BAFTA for Best Actress 1999) and ''Dr Willoughby'' (1999). In 1995, she provided the voice of Annie the rag doll in the animated series ''The Forgotten Toys''. In 1999, she also provided the voice for Sims the chicken in the BAFTA award-winning animated series ''The Foxbusters''. In 2000, she co-produced a new drama series ''The Cazalets''. She appeared in a TV series on Sarawak, where she spent time in her childhood. Lumley starred as the elderly Delilah Stagg in the 2006 sitcom '' Jam & Jerusalem'' with Dawn French,

, and Sue Johnston. In July 2007, she starred in the second series of the drama '' Sensitive Skin'' where she played the main character Davina Jackson. The BBC said this will be the final series of the dark comedy. She starred in David Hirson's '' La Bête'' – Comedy Theatre, London, 26 June – 28 August 2010 with David Hyde Pierce and Mark Rylance, directed by Matthew Warchus. She also starred in '' La Bête'' at the Music Box Theatre, Broadway, New York which opened on 14 October 2010."La Bête Will Play Broadway's Music Box Theatre"
24 May 2010, Paybill.com She was nominated for the

, for her performance.

Media work

Lumley, who has one of the most recognised voices in the UK, has gained prominence as a voice-over artist. Users of AOL in the United Kingdom are familiar with Joanna Lumley's voice. She recorded the greetings "Welcome", "You have email" and "Goodbye" for that company. From 2004 to 2006 she appeared in adverts for insurance brokers Privilege (insurance company), Privilege. Lumley appeared on the last run of ITV's ''Parkinson (TV series), Parkinson'' as a guest, on 27 October 2007, discussing the subject of young girls in the UK. She was asked to write the introduction to a revised edition in November 2007 of the book called ''The Magic Key to Charm'' written by the pioneering female journalist Eileen Ascroft. This is a book of tips to women, first written by Ascroft in 1938 about how to be glamorous. "I thought it was absolutely enchanting, it's how young women were told how to behave in the old days and I think it might be just coming back for a bit of a revival", she explained in the interview.

"Because, I have to say I adore our young ones and I think we have got some of the prettiest and loveliest girls in the world but I think sometimes the behaviour gets a bit bad and I think the girls let themselves down. They are so pretty and so lovely but they should behave better, I think, then they will be more successful."

In 1999 she appeared in the Comic Relief ''Doctor Who'' parody ''The Curse of Fatal Death'' as the final incarnation of the Doctor. She also appeared with Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French and Sienna Miller in the French and Saunders pastiche of ''Mamma Mia! (musical), Mamma Mia'' for ''Red Nose Day 2009, Comic Relief'' 2009 in which she played the role of Tanya (named Patsy in the spoof). In 2004 Lumley appeared as the "Woman with the Sydney Opera House Head" in Dirk Maggs's long-awaited radio adaptation of the third book of the Douglas Adams series ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tertiary to Quintessential Phases, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. In 2005 she published her autobiography, ''No Room for Secrets'', which was serialised by ''The Times'', for which she was once a regular contributor. In September 2008, the BBC aired ''Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights'', a documentary about her search to see the Aurora (astronomy), Northern Lights in northern Norway. In 2009 she portrayed a rock star, believed to have been dead for 35 years, and her twin, in the "Counter Culture Blues" episode of the British television mystery series ''Lewis (TV series), Lewis'' (known in the U.S. as ''Inspector Lewis''). In 2011, Lumley appeared in ''Uptown Downstairs Abbey'', the Comic Relief#2011 event, Comic Relief parody of the critically acclaimed historical television dramas ''Downton Abbey'' and ''Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series), Upstairs Downstairs''. Playing herself and the character of Mrs. Danvers, she starred alongside others including Jennifer Saunders, Kim Cattrall, Victoria Wood, Harry Enfield, Patrick Barlow, Dale Winton, Olivia Colman and Tim Vine. In recent years, Lumley has worked extensively on ITV, and in 2010 Lumley was executive producer and presenter of ''Joanna Lumley's Nile'', where she journeyed up the River Nile from sea to source in Rwanda, for ITV. This was broadcast in four parts on ITV beginning on 12 April 2010, and repeated in June 2013. Lumley travelled again for ITV in 2011, this time visiting Greece for a four-part series titled ''Joanna Lumley’s Greek Odyssey''. The series aired on ITV beginning on 13 October. Once again, in 2012, Lumley travelled for ITV, now in search of Noah's Ark. The trip, which encompassed 3 continents and also involved an adventurous jaunt into Iran, aired in late 2012 as a single 90-minute documentary titled ''Joanna Lumley’s Ark''. In March 2014 she appeared in a BBC One hour-long documentary featuring American musician Will.i.am. The programme was called ''Joanna Lumley Meets will.i.am''. In December 2014, she presented ''One Night Only (TV series), Bette Midler: One Night Only'', a one-off ITV Specials, ITV special. In 2015 she presented a three-part factual series for ITV called ''Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Adventure''. The series saw Lumley travel 6400 miles from Hong Kong to Moscow, along the Trans-Siberian Railway. In September 2016, she presented ''Joanna Lumley's Japan'', a three-part documentary series for ITV and in July 2017, she presented ''Joanna Lumley's India'' for ITV. In 2018 she presented ''Joanna Lumley's Silk Road Adventure'', a four-part travelogue covering eight countries which were part of the silk road, ancient trade route.

Activism

Lumley is also known for her support for Gurkhas, the Tibetan independence movement, exiled Tibetan people and government, the Khonds indigenous people of India and the Prospect Burma charity, which offers grants to Burmese students, for whom she broadcast a BBC Radio 4 charity appeal in 2001. Her father was a commanding officer of a troop of Gurkhas who fought in World War II.

Gurkha Justice Campaign

In 2008, Lumley became the public face of the Gurkha Justice Campaign, a campaign to provide all Nepalis, Nepalese origin Gurkha veterans who served in the British Army before 1997 the right to settle in Britain. Those serving following 1997 had already been granted permission, but the British Government had not extended the offer to all of the Gurkhas. On 20 November 2008, Lumley led a large all-party group including Gurkhas starting from Parliament Square to 10 Downing Street with a petition signed by 250,000 people. On 24 April 2009, she stated that she was "ashamed" of the UK administration's decision to affix five criteria to the Gurkhas' right to settle in the UK. With the support of both Opposition parties and Labour rebel MPs on 29 April 2009, a Liberal Democrat motion that all Gurkhas be offered an equal right of residence was passed, allowing Gurkhas who served before 1997 residence in the UK and access to housing, social security and healthcare. Following the Government defeat, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safe and Legal Migration, Minister for Immigration Phil Woolas stated that a further review would be completed by the middle of July. On 5 May 2009, Lumley said that she had received private assurances of support from "a senior member of the British royal family, Royal Family", and attended a meeting with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street the following day. Afterwards, she described the meeting as "extremely positive", and praised Mr Brown, saying, "I trust him. I rely on him. And I know that he has now taken this matter into his own hands and so today is a very good day." However, on the day following the meeting with Brown, five Gurkha veterans who had applied for residency in the United Kingdom received letters telling them that their appeals had been rejected – many saw this as a betrayal, despite the fact that for the letters to have been received the day after the meeting they might have been sent before it (and certainly following the 29 April Commons vote). Lumley confronted Phil Woolas at the BBC Westminster studios about the issue and, after her pursuing him around the studio, the pair held an impromptu press conference in which Woolas agreed to accept Gurkha Justice Campaign input in developing new guidelines by July while giving sympathetic treatment to Gurkhas not meeting the then current immigration guidelines before the development of new guidelines. Following a Home Affairs Select Committee, Commons Home Affairs Committee meeting in which talks were held between campaigners, the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence and the Home Office on 19 May, all Gurkha veterans who had served four years or more in the British Army before 1997 were given the right to settle in Britain. Lumley's success in campaigning prompted calls for her to stand as a Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament at the 2010 United Kingdom general election, forthcoming general election. However, she has dismissed the suggestion. During an appearance on ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' on 29 May, she reiterated that she had no desire to run for election to the House of Commons. In July 2009, Lumley went on a visit to Nepal. Upon her arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, she was greeted by crowds of Gurkha supporters. Lumley said in a statement, "I feel so humbled by the fact I'm going to meet so many ex-Gurkhas and their families, and see where they are and how they live." While there, Lumley was hailed 'Daughter of Nepal' by the crowds of fans at the airport.

Work for Survival International

Lumley has long been a supporter of

and the cause of indigenous rights, and narrated Survival's documentary, ''Mine: Story of a Sacred Mountain''. The film tells the story of the remote Kondha, Dongria Kondha tribe in India and their battle to stop a vast bauxite mine from destroying their land and way of life. In defence of the Dongria, she has said,

"It greatly disturbs me that a British company will be responsible for the destruction of these wonderful people. I urge the public to support the Dongria, who simply want to be allowed to live in peace. Unlike so many of India's rural poor, the Dongria actually live very well in the Niyamgiri hills, and it's a terrible irony that what Vedanta Resources, Vedanta is proposing to do in the name of 'development' will actually destroy this completely self-sufficient people."

Lumley also contributed her writing for the book ''We Are One: A Celebration of Tribal Peoples'', released in October 2009 with profits going in support of Survival. A collection of photographs, statements from tribal people and essays from international authors, the book explores the richness of the cultures of indigenous peoples around the world and the risks to their existence. In her essay for the book, Lumley speaks of the Dongria way of life and the threats they face in the name of corporate interests, and calls for action to stop such decisions.

Other patronage

Since 1984 Lumley has been a Patron of Born Free Foundation founded in the same year by the stars of the popular wildlife film Born Free, Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna. The Foundation (originally called Zoo Check), campaigns to 'keep wildlife in the wild'. She has fronted a number of the charity's campaigns, including the relocation of endangered giraffe in Kenya and, in 2020, narrating a short film entitled 'Protect Them, Protect Us', concerning the relentless exploitation and consumption of wildlife and the natural world, and its link with the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the death of Bill Travers in 1994, Lumley remains a close friend of McKenna and her eldest son, Will Travers, who is the charity's Executive President. In May 2016, Lumley became a patron of Population Matters, an organisation campaigning for the achievement of a sustainable global population size. Lumley has been a patron of the UK charity Tree Aid, since 1993. The organisation aims to enable communities in Africa's drylands to fight poverty and become self-reliant, while improving the environment. Lumley is also a patron of the Pastoral and Environmental Network in the Horn of Africa (PENHA). PENHA is an African inspired and led international nongovernmental organization (INGO) and research institute, founded in 1989 by a group of development practitioners concerned about the future of pastoralism in the Horn of Africa. Another charity which Lumley is a patron of is Kids for Kids, helping children in Darfur, Sudan. Lumley is also a patron of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust. Moat Brae was the favourite place for author J.M. Barrie to play as a child and the house and gardens are said to have inspired Barrie to create Peter Pan. The trust is undertaking a £4 million fundraising project to renovate the Georgian house and gardens to operate as an educational and cultural centre for local schools and JM Barrie enthusiasts and scholars. Lumley is a patron of the UK environmental charity Earth Restoration Service. which supports environmental restoration programmes in UK schools, particularly by Tree planting, planting trees and wildflower meadows. In 2008, she spoke on behalf of the charity in the House of Lords to argue for a strong and more widespread environmental movement across the world, and in 2009 she provided the voice over for a short Animation, animated film produced by the charity. Lumley is patron of the UK charity Trust in Children which aims to help children from poor backgrounds to access education and opportunities for non-academic development. Lumley has a long association and interest in Nepal and its people that grew out of her father's service as an officer in 6th Gurkha Rifles. She agreed to become a Vice Patron of The Gurkha Welfare Trust in 2009.

Research fellowship

In 1996, the Lumley Research Fellowship was established at Green College, Oxford, Green College, University of Oxford. Sponsored by Friends Provident financial group, it was for a young researcher on "major environmental or wildlife issues, with particular reference to Africa". The candidates were interviewed by Lumley.

Influence

In February 2013, she was assessed as one of the 100 most powerful women in the United Kingdom by BBC Radio 4's ''Woman's Hour''.

Personal life

Lumley's son, James (known as Jamie), was born in 1967. His father is photographer Michael Claydon. She was briefly married to actor

during 1970. She married the conductor Stephen Barlow (conductor), Stephen Barlow in 1986; they live in London. They also own a house near the village of Penpont, Dumfriesshire, in Scotland. Lumley supports over 60 charities, and has been a vegetarian for 40 years. She has donated books to Book Aid International. She is patron of the Born Free Foundation and passionate about the Free Tibet Campaign, Free Tibet campaign. From 2012 to 2016, Lumley supported the proposals for a pedestrian "Garden Bridge" across the River Thames, Thames in London, in collaboration with the designer Thomas Heatherwick and former Mayor of London Boris Johnson. The proposals floundered after more than £40 million of public money had been spent. In May 2009 Lumley supported the Green Party of England and Wales, Green Party during the 2009 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom, 2009 European Elections campaign. For Lumley, the work of Green MEPs in the European Parliament in pursuing human rights and animal rights made the Green Party "the obvious choice" and urged UK voters "to cast a positive vote for a better future by voting Green in the European Elections." Lumley also appeared in literature to support changing the British electoral system from First-past-the-post voting, first-past-the-post to Instant-runoff voting, alternative vote for electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons in the 2011 United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum, Alternative Vote referendum in 2011. In 2010, Lumley donated pound sterling, £1,000 to Caroline Lucas's campaign to become the first Green Party MP during the 2010 General Election campaign. She endorsed the parliamentary candidacy of Lucas at the 2015 United Kingdom general election, 2015 general election. In August 2015, Lumley backed children's fairytales app "GivingTales" in aid of UNICEF together with other British celebrities including Roger Moore, Stephen Fry, Ewan McGregor, Joan Collins, Michael Caine, David Walliams, Charlotte Rampling, Paul McKenna and Michael Ball (singer), Michael Ball. In July 2021, Lumley joined an international line-up of actors in backing calls for the Great Barrier Reef to be placed on a list of world heritage sites currently in danger.

Honours

Lumley was appointed Order of the British Empire, Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1995 New Year Honours and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the

for services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes.

Awards

Lumley is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS). She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon. D.Litt.) by the University of Kent in July 1994. In 2002, she was awarded an honorary degree from Oxford Brookes University. In 2006, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters (Hon. D.Litt.) from the University of St. Andrews. In July 2008, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of the University (Hon DUniv) from Queen's University Belfast, and in March 2019, she and her husband were both awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Chester.

Filmography

Film

Television

Non-acting television

Theatre

*''Not Now, Darling'' – Canterbury, 1969 *''Don't Just Lie There Say Something'' – Garrick Theatre, 1971 *''The End of Me Old Cigar'' – Greenwich Theatre, 1975 *''Cinderella's Star Night'' (all-star cast to raise funds for The Bobath Centre Prince) – Prince Edward Theatre, 31 January 1982 *''Private Lives'' – UK tour, 1982 *''Noel & Gertie'' – King's Head, Islington, 1983 *''Hedda Gabler'' – Dundee Rep, 1984 *''Blithe Spirit (play), Blithe Spirit'' – Vaudeville Theatre, 1986 *''An Ideal Husband'' – Chichester Festival, 1987 *''The Cherry Orchard'' – Dundee Rep, 1988 *''The Revengers' Comedies'' – Strand Theatre, 1991 *''Who Shall I Be Tomorrow?'' – Greenwich Theatre, 1992 *''The Letter (play), The Letter'' – Lyric Hammersmith, 1995 *''Jack and the Beanstalk'' – Royal Albert Hall, 1996 *''The Cherry Orchard'' – Sheffield Crucible, 2007 *'' La Bête'' – Comedy Theatre and Music Box Theater, New York, 2010 *''The Lion in Winter'' – Theatre Royal Haymarket, 2011 *''Joanna Lumley: It’s All About Me'' – UK and Ireland tour, 2018

Radio

*''Conversations From A Long Marriage'' – BBC Radio 4 comedy with Roger Allam written by Jan Etherington, 2018-2022

Books

As author

*''Peacocks and Commas: Best of the "Spectator" Competitions'' (1983) – Editor *''Stare Back and Smile: Memoirs'' (1989) – Memoir *''Forces Sweethearts'' (1993) – Editor *''Girl Friday (television), Girl Friday'' (1994) *''In the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon'' (1997) *''No Room for Secrets'' (2005) – Memoir *''Absolutely'' (2011) – Memoir *''A Queen for All Seasons: A Celebration of Our One and Only Queen Elizabeth II on Her Platinum Jubilee'' (2021) – Biography She has also narrated a number of audiobooks and provided forewords for works by other authors.

As subject

*''Joanna Lumley – The Biography'' by Tim Ewbank and Stafford Hildred; an unauthorised biography.

Home media

*''Joanna Lumley's Nile'' (2010) *''Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Adventure'' (2015) *''Joanna Lumley's Japan'' (2016) *Joanna Lumley's ''Silk Road Adventure'' (2018) *Joanna Lumley's ''India'' (2018) *Joanna Lumley's ''Home Sweet Home'' (2021)

References

External links

*
Biography
on the BBC

*
Booking Agent Profile

The Gurkha Welfare Trust Vice Patron
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lumley, Joanna 1946 births Living people 20th-century British actresses 21st-century British actresses Actresses awarded British damehoods Best Comedy Performance BAFTA Award (television) winners Best Entertainment Performance BAFTA Award (television) winners BAFTA fellows British activists British women activists British autobiographers British female models British film actresses British non-fiction writers British people of Scottish descent British soap opera actresses British stage actresses British television actresses British voice actresses British women comedians Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire People from Srinagar People from Stockwell AOL people Tibet freedom activists Actresses from Kent British comedy actresses WFTV Award winners Women autobiographers