Joanna Lumley reveals her take on the secret to staying young is not eating meat as she celebrates her 80th birthday

Joanna Lumley Believes “Age Is Just a Number” as She Nears 80 and Detests Slowing Down

Joanna Lumley looks forward to her 80th birthday with excitement and considering “age is just a number”. In fact, she is not just dallying with the thought of continuing her dramas in the future but actually doing them.

The woman of the television series Absolutely Fabulous, who portrayed the fun, mad, and stylish Patsy, stated that she has no plans of retiring even in the distant future. “I am very lucky to have been, and to continue to be, a busy girl, thank god. Long may that continue!”, she said to The Mirror.

It is known that Lumley is considered a great gift to the country. Even so, she confessed that she is still in disbelief over her widespread popularity. “If you’d told me 40 years ago that I’d have this following, it would have seemed ludicrous, ” she said. She also mentioned that the praise she receives from the fans makes her “delighted and… overwhelmed.”

Joanna Lumley Reminisces on Her Legendary Career as She Enjoys Her Life at 80

Joanna Lumley is looking back at an extraordinary life and career as she nears 80, contemplating her worldwide travels and her lasting celebrity.

She was born May 1, 1946, in Kashmir, India, to a Gurkha officer. Lumley’s early years were spent in Hong Kong and Malaysia before she came to England at the age of eight. Without any formal training in acting, she started her working life as a photographic model but very soon became one of the most favorites stars of England.

Among her biggest achievements in show business are the role of spy Purdey in The New Avengers, being a Bond girl in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and, most notably, portraying Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, a character through which she is culturally immortalized.

Lumley said that Patsy is still her most famous character all over the world, which is an ongoing source of delight for fans who dress in homage to the character’s glamour. The character’s fame was taken to the next level with the creation of a waxwork at Madame Tussauds, which includes Patsy’s trademark cigarette and that famous blonde bouffant hairstyle.

Joanna Lumley Confidently Turns 80 and Shares Her Thoughts on Aging Gracefully

Joanna Lumley ages with a good sense of humor and a great sense of self even now that she is about to turn 80. She was talking about all the changes she has gone through fame, beauty, and acceptance of oneself.

When she talks about her wax figure that is made to look like that iconic Patsy Stone character that she plays on Absolutely Fabulous, she was joking about how strange it was for her to even have such an experience Besides, “It’s quite enough to see yourself on the screen. Seeing yourself in 3D is a bit weird, really, ” she added.

Since Lumley has been admired for her natural looks over the years, she disclosed her one-step beauty regimen, which is no more than a £4 jar of Astral Intensive Moisture Cream. At the same time, she remains quite casual about the aid of various cosmetic interventions. “If it is rolled out and you can certainly afford it darling, go for it, ” she said, adding that one should do whatever makes them feel good.

Although she admits that “you can’t stop time, ” Lumley attributes the fact that she still looks good to the vegetarian diet she has followed for more than 40 years. She insists, however, that everyone else should do what suits them best. For instance, her husband Stephen Barlow who is not a vegetarian is “wonderful.”

Joanna Lumley on Health and Her Many Career Roles as She Nears 80

Joanna Lumley recently commented on people’s eating habits today. She noted a positive trend of people eating less meat but was concerned about the growing consumption of processed food. “People used to eat meat three times a day… Who does that now? That’s a move for the better, ” she said but she also mentioned that the huge availability of convenience and junk food is a bad trend.

Besides her famous character Patsy, Lumley’s work in the drama field and her charitable activities earned her an OBE in 1995 and a Damehood (DBE) in 2022. Having had a long career, she hardly finds it possible to pinpoint her favorite moment in the wide range of films she has been in.

“I have been in the LOT, darling, ” she quipped, mentioning her early roles in classic shows like On the Buses and Are You Being Served?. She further showed the down-to-earthness that have endeared her to the public by saying, “I’ll do anything to earn an honest crust!”

Joanna Lumley Opens up About Early Career Milestones and Being a Single Mom

Joanna Lumley has reminisced about the pivotal moments in her early career, one of which was her appearance on The Morecambe & Wise Show in 1969 that still stands out in her memory.

While reminiscing about the time, she was full of praise for the legendary comedy duo. “Eric and Ernie were fabulous, ” Lumley commented, explaining that the toughest part was managing to keep a straight face during the serious scenes.

Shortly after, Lumley at 21 gave birth to son Jamie, who is currently a famous photographer, after parting ways with his father, Michael Claydon. Without a doubt, she was a single mother raising him and simultaneously establishing her career.

Her 1973 appearance as Ken Barlow’s girlfriend Elaine Perkins in Coronation Street was a cameo moment which lasted only for two months but Lumley regards it as a significant moment in her life. “I believe every actor should do Coronation Street once in their lifetime, ” she quipped. “My scenes with Bill Roach are very dear to me.”

Joanna Lumley Talks About Activism and Environmental Conciousness While Working Travel Career

Joanna Lumley has also been widely acknowledged for her humanitarian efforts, especially her involvement with the Gurkha Justice Campaign, which successfully fought for the UK settlement rights of Gurkha veterans who had served up to 1997.

Besides her humanitarian work, she has become famous for producing attractive travel documentaries that have covered such regions as the Silk Road, Japan and the Nile.

Although she is still interested in new projects, Lumley is careful of how traveling a lot can be interpreted and its effect on the environment. “I’ve never wanted to be recognized as ‘the woman who’s always flying around, ‘” she remarked, further stating that travel must be done for a good reason and that one should not disregard the environmental issues raised by air travel.

Joanna Lumley Shares Travel Preferences and Secret to Long-Lasting Marriage

Joanna Lumley explained that her way of traveling is more about discovering new places than taking it easy and she is more inclined towards having profound experience rather than sunbathing on the beach.

“I am not the type who can just run off and happily lie around on a beach somewhere, ” she remarked while pointing out that she and her spouse, Stephen Barlow, consider it a pleasure to go deep into the place and understand it however, the destination may be.

Lumley, when talking about her traveling said, half in jest that she can never leave home without two of her personal things: “My beloved fragrance, Rive Gauche and my husband!”

This is not the first marriage for the actress though. She and conductor/composer Stephen Barlow have been married since 1986 and she was married earlier to actor Jeremy Lloyd.

Joanna, looking back at their long-term relationship, pointed out that the secret of their 40-year marriage is very straightforward.

Joanna Lumley Discusses 40-Year Marriage and Wishing to Reprise Patsy Role

Joanna Lumley has revealed the secret of a strong marriage for her and Stephen Barlow of 40 years. She told that their bond is based on a very deep mutual curiosity. “We don’t like being away from each other” she said, adding that they are always interested in the other’s life.

Lumley, who is well-known the world over for the role of outrageous Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, lightheartedly remarked that Patsy never comes home. “If I turned up like Patsy… Stephen would have left me without a second’s thought!” she said, characterizing the role as “a wonderful mask” that gave her an opportunity to be a daring alter ego.

After the huge success of Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016, Lumley confided that she would be glad to get back to the iconic role. “If Jennifer told me tomorrow that she’s written the scripts, I’d jump at the chance, ” she said. “I enjoyed playing Patsy so much.”