French and Saunders broadcast on 9 March 1987 on BBC Two, with the first series consisting of six episodes. With its popularity and high ratings, a second series commenced on 4 March 1988, followed by a Christmas special in late 1988. The third, fourth and fifth series', which broadcast between 1990 and 1996, and all consisting each of seven episodes, relied heavily on movie parodies, and some music parodies, alongside their own material such as the sketch "Modern Day Mother and Daughter" which spawned Saunders' popular sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous" in 1992. Classic movies parodied include "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?", "The Exorcist",
Joanna Lumley 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" for "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". In 2005 she published her autobiography, "No Room for Secrets", which was serialised by "The Times", for which she was