Beloved actress and national treasure Joanna Lumley has shared a poignant and energising perspective on ageing and mortality as she prepares to return to BBC One for a festive television special. The 79-year-old star, whose career spans over six decades, will appear in the Christmas special of "Amandaland" tonight, December 25.
A Celebration of Life Amidst Mortality
In a candid conversation with My Weekly earlier this year, Lumley revealed that being acutely aware of time's passage fuels her zest for life. "As you near the top of the hill you suddenly think, 'Gosh, there's not all that amount of time left'," she confessed. This realisation, rather than daunting her, serves as a powerful motivator. She frequently reflects on her own death, especially as peers begin to pass away, stating, "My time must be coming quite soon and I don't want to have wasted a minute of being on this beautiful planet."
This philosophy is evident in her packed work schedule. In 2025, she delivered a standout performance in the BBC comedy series "Amandaland," a spin-off from the award-winning sitcom "Motherland." Fans can catch the special episode on BBC One from 9.15pm tonight, with a second season confirmed for 2026. Beyond this, her recent projects include the Netflix drama "Fool Me Once" and an ITV travel documentary exploring Europe's Danube River.
The Hidden Challenge: Living with Prosopagnosia
Despite her enduring success and vibrant public life, Lumley has navigated a significant, hidden challenge for years: prosopagnosia, or face blindness. She disclosed this condition to Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2 and elaborated on the Tracks of My Years podcast. "I've got this weird thing with faces," she explained. "I have to know who people are, I have to know in advance. I always say, 'Please tell me who's going to be there', then I can match the name to the thing."
The NHS describes prosopagnosia as a condition where an individual can see facial features normally but struggles to recognise faces. It can also affect the ability to discern age, gender, or distinguish between objects like cars or animals. There is no cure, but strategies like noting unique features can help manage it. Lumley described her personal test: "I'd look at somebody and then I would shut my eyes and see if I could see their face in my head. And I couldn't."
A Legacy UnDimmed by Adversity
Joanna Lumley has never allowed prosopagnosia to limit her extraordinary career. From early roles as one of Ken Barlow's girlfriends in Coronation Street in the 1960s to iconic parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Absolutely Fabulous, her filmography is remarkable. On the big screen, she even starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street.
Off-screen, she is married to conductor Stephen Barlow and is a mother to son Jamie and a grandmother to Alice and Emily. As she steps back onto our screens this Christmas, her reflections offer a powerful reminder of a life lived with intention, curiosity, and remarkable resilience, inspiring audiences young and old to cherish every moment.
