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",
June Whitfield as "Carry On Columbus" (1992), "Jude" (1996) and "Faeries" (1999), as the voice of Mrs. Combs. In 1998 Whitfield played the housekeeper in the London-set episode of "Friends" "The One with Ross's Wedding, Part Two" and voiced a character in an episode of the animated comedy series "Rex the Runt". In 1994, June Whitfield was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the British Comedy Awards, and, in 1998, she was promoted to CBE. Her autobiography "And June Whitfield" appeared in 2000, and was written with the help of Christopher Douglas. Whitfield's husband Tim Aitchison died in 2001. Since 2000, Whitfield