Beloved British actress Dame Joanna Lumley has opened up about her thoughts on mortality and why she refuses to plan her own funeral as she approaches her 80th birthday next year.
A Candid Conversation About Mortality
The Absolutely Fabulous star admitted she is consciously aware of growing older but prefers to face difficult subjects like death directly rather than avoiding them. In a remarkably honest interview with Hello! magazine, the actress revealed the practical perspective her husband of 38 years, conductor Stephen Barlow, has brought to their discussions about end-of-life arrangements.
Joanna insisted she doesn't want a memorial service, but her 71-year-old husband gently reminded her that the final decision won't be hers to make. "I've spoken to my husband and he said, 'Look, your own funeral has nothing to do with you. You're not even going to be at the funeral, you'll be gone, so you can say what you like about whatever'," the actress shared.
Family Matters and Career Updates
When Joanna protested that she didn't want any memorial service, her husband Stephen responded that the choice would ultimately belong to him and her son Jamie if they were still living. "There's no point in saying, I don't want one, because you'd have gone, darling, you'd have gone," he told her pragmatically.
The actress shares her only child, 57-year-old son Jamie Lumley, with photographer Michael Claydon, with whom she remains friends. Jamie now lives in Scotland with his writer wife and their two daughters. Joanna's personal life has seen two marriages - her brief union with scriptwriter Jeremy Lloyd in 1970, and her lasting marriage to Stephen Barlow since 1986.
Exciting Professional Developments
Meanwhile, the celebrated actress continues to enjoy professional success with the confirmation that the BBC comedy Amandaland will return for a Christmas special this year and a full second series. The show, which launched in February this year, has become the BBC's second biggest comedy launch with an impressive 6.4 million average views.
Joanna plays Felicity, the mother of protagonist Amanda Hughes (played by Lucy Punch), in the spin-off from the popular sitcom Motherland. Filming for seven new episodes began last month, with Joanna expressing her excitement about returning to the "gorgeous, wild success" during an appearance on the Chris Evans breakfast show.
Despite mixed reviews from some viewers who preferred the original Motherland, the series has been recommissioned due to overwhelming fan response and received a five-star rating from the Daily Mail's Christopher Stevens, who praised its compelling acting and quirky storylines.
