Joanna Lumley's versatility is nothing short of remarkable. A bona fide veteran of the arts, with BAFTA wins and a Damehood to her name, the 78 year old is currently back on our screens in Motherland spin-off Amandaland - an opportunity the actress said was 'magic' to be a part of. The new BBC series, also starring Lucy Punch and PhilippaDunned, is winning plaudits galore thanks to its hilarity driven by strong female leads. It's clear that Joanna has a profound ability to turn everything she touches into gold, but just how did her star power evolve?
A young Joanna Lumley
Joanna was born on 1 May 1946 in Kashmir, India, to British parents Thyra Beatrice Rose and James Rutherford Lumley, who had been brought up in the South Asian country. She received her education in the UK, first boarding at Mickledene in Rolvenden, Kent, before spending six years at Hastings-based Holmhurst St Mary's Convent School, the Ridge.
Joanna's modelling path was carved when she attended the Lucie Clayton Finishing School in London, which became Britain's top modelling agency during the 1950s and 1960s. She spent three years as a photographic model, and even earned a living as Jean Muir's house model.
Reflecting on her days modelling in the 60s, Joanna said that women were a 'lot tougher' back then. She said, 'If someone whistled at you in the street, it didn’t matter. If someone was groping, we slapped their hands. We were quite tough and looked after ourselves.'
Joanna Lumley as a single mum
Aged 21, Joanna became a single mum to son Jamie, who is now 57. She is believed to be on amicable terms with Jamie's father, photographer Michael Claydon.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2017, Joanna opened up about becoming a single parent in her early twenties, saying, 'My parents helped in every possible way, and I cry my eyes out at the women who were made to give up their babies around the same time, because their families wouldn’t have them, or they felt they couldn’t keep them. And the damage that causes. I’m so lucky that didn’t happen to me.'
Joanna Lumley: Acting career
She may not have been formally trained at drama school, but that never stopped Joanna from thriving as an actress. After landing a small and uncredited role in '69 spy film Some Girls Do, she went on to secure two lines in Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service the same year.
After an eight-episode run in Coronation Street three years prior, her breakout role came in 1976 with her portrayal of Purdy in The New Avengers. It spanned for 26 episodes until 1977, before which time she admitted to being 'as humble as can be, just desperately trying to get work'.
Almost two decades later, Joanna was on the brink of BAFTA success when she was snapped up to play Patsy Stone in the beloved sitcom, Absolutely Fabulous (1992-2012). She reprised her role for the film continuation in 2016.
'I love Patsy because we’re such polar opposites. She’s so dismissive of laws and rules and behaving properly, and I’m clearly a saint,' Joanna said in 2021.
A handful of other titles on Joanna's sparkling CV include The Wolf of Wall Street, Shirley Valentine and Trail of the Pink Panther. TV-wise, she received a BAFTA nomination for her role in A Rather English Marriage, played the heroine in Sapphire and Steel, and formed part of the stellar cast for Netflix's ratings hit, Fool Me Once, to name a few.
Joanna Lumley: Marriages
Joanna's first marriage was to the late screenwriter Jeremy Lloyd. The couple tied the knot in May 1970, but called it quits just three months later.
It has been reported that Joanna has joked of the short-lived union, '[Jeremy] was witty, tall and charming ‒ we should have just had a raging affair.'
Writing in his memoir, Listen Very Carefully, I Shall Say This Only Once, Jeremy let readers in on his brief but intense encounter with the star.
'On a visit to England, I met a stunning girl with a terrific sense of humour. Afraid that at my advanced age I’d never meet anyone so wonderful again, I flung myself into a whirlwind romance,' he wrote.
He continued, 'We were married at Chelsea Register Office and I moved into her flat in Holland Park, where she lived with her young son. She was an actress, and her name was Joanna Lumley.
'However, problems quickly developed. Joanna didn’t want to bring up her little boy in the States, where I was working. I’d never even thought of that. I tried to make the relationship work and resigned from Laugh-In, but the marriage fell apart - understandably, I’m sure. I can be very aggravating.'
In 1986, Joanna wed for a second time, to conductor Stephen Barlow. The couple - who will celebrate their 40th anniversary next year - live together in London and also own a house in Scotland.
It has been reported that Joanna and Stephen knew each other growing up, but it wasn't until they crossed paths again at a mutual friend's wedding that things took a romantic turn.
Weighing in on the key to a successful marriage, Joanna said last year, 'I think, respect your partner and always treat them as the most important person in the world.'
Joanna Lumley: Other endeavours
In addition to acting and modelling, Joanna's illustrious career has also involved presenting, writing, and activism. The wide-ranging nature of her achievements was recognised in 2022 when she was made a Dame for services to drama, entertainment and charity.
She has two memoirs to her name, as well as a royal tome called A Queen for All Seasons: A Celebration of Our One and Only Queen Elizabeth II on Her Platinum Jubilee. Elsewhere, Joanna has also become synonymous with travel shows, having fronted series that explore the wonder of places such as Japan, India, and the Caribbean.
But that's not all. She is a proud advocate and human rights activist for numerous charitable organisations, which include but are not limited to Survival International, the Gurkha Justice Campaign, Compassion in World Farming and Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals.
Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia. She has specialised in showbiz interviews, features, articles and roundups for over three years and loves combining her love for writing, talking and all things popular culture.