Joanna Lumley David McCallum. 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 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 Patsy Stone, companion to Jennifer Saunders' Edina Monsoon in the BBC comedy television series "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992–1996, 2001–2004, 2011–2012). "" was released in 2016. In 1994 and 1995 Lumley starred alongside Nadine
Joanna Lumley Midler: One Night Only", a one-off 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 ancient trade route. Lumley is also known for her support for Gurkhas, the exiled Tibetan people