Joanna Lumley reveals plan to celebrate her 80th birthday
Dame Joanna Lumley will not host a big birthday party to celebrate turning 80.
The former 'Absolutely Fabulous' star reaches the milestone age on May 1, 2026, but Lumley doesn't enjoy a huge fuss on her birthday and will instead hope she will be working when her big day comes around.
Speaking to the new issue of Closer magazine, she said: "When I was growing up, I was always at school for birthdays. Always at school. So, we never did stuff. The idea of birthday parties repels me. Not because of anything, I just don't know why you would ever do it.
"I love having birthdays, but the idea of doing a big party to say, 'Me, I'm 112.' Why would you do that? Or, 'Me, because I'm 57.' Why have that, why have a party? So, on my big special day, fingers crossed I'll be working. It's always good to be working on your birthday."
Luckily for Lumley she has plenty of acting roles and TV jobs.
The British screen icon has earned critical acclaim for her performance as Felicity Sanderson, the mother of Lucy Punch's character Amanda Hughes in BBC sitcom 'Amandaland' - which is a spin-off of the successful comedy series 'Motherland'.
Lumley admits it is a role she is very proud of.
She said: "I love 'Amandaland'. I love Lucy's character - I love them all, actually. It's beautifully cast."
Lumley and Lucy previously worked together on 2004 film 'Ella Enchanted' and she has fond memories of that shoot.
Jonna added: "She played my daughter before. We did a film together in Ireland with Anne Hathaway playing the Cinderella figure. Lucy was playing one of the bad stepsisters and I was the evil stepmother. This is how life goes on - I'm now her evil mother! Not evil, Felicity is not evil."
Lumley has also become a prominent travel documentary maker in recent years and in her latest ITV travel series 'Joanna Lumley's Danube', she travels 1,770 miles along the River Danube. visiting Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania and taking a detour to the Ukrainian border before reaching her final destination the Black Sea.
Whilst she was in Romania the former 'Absolutely Fabulous' star spent time with a group of white witches and after taking part in the ceremony Lumley was presented with an amulet which she was told would keep her safe on her trip.
In a previous interview with the Daily Express Saturday magazine, she said: "They work with the elements - earth, air, water, fire - to bring peace and ward off negativity.
"They were so glamorous. They used masses of candles for their ceremony. The camera boys nearly died from the heat. Then they gave me an amulet to take me safely on the rest of my journey."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
Is Fallout season 2 releasing in July 2025? Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on June 28, 2025, 18:30 IST Last updated June 28, 2025, 11:39 IST Okay, Fallout fans, let's cut through the noise. Season 1 of the Prime Video show had us all losing our minds with its retro-apocalyptic chaos, and now we're itching for Season 2. There's this stubborn rumor about a July 2025 release, but is it true? Here's everything we know so far Is Fallout Season 2 Releasing in July 2025? Look, we get why people thought July 2025. Season 1 hit in April 2024, and fans were doing mental math, hoping for a quick turnaround. But here's the real talk: Amazon spilt the beans at their May 2025 Upfront thing, saying Fallout Season 2 is coming in December 2025. They wrapped filming in May 2025, and even with all the fancy CGI (those deathclaws don't draw themselves), December makes sense. It's not as fast as we hoped, but it's way better than the 2026 vibe some folks were dreading. So, mark your calendars for a winter wasteland binge. Fallout Season 2 Potential Cast The gang's all here, and we're getting some fresh blood too: Ella Purnell as Lucy, still rocking that Vault dweller optimism (kinda). as Lucy, still rocking that Vault dweller optimism (kinda). Walton Goggins as The Ghoul, serving looks and sarcasm in equal measure. as The Ghoul, serving looks and sarcasm in equal measure. Aaron Moten as Maximus, the Brotherhood bro with big dreams. as Maximus, the Brotherhood bro with big dreams. Kyle MacLachlan as Hank, who's got more secrets than a Vault-Tec exec. as Hank, who's got more secrets than a Vault-Tec exec. Moisés Arias as Norm, Lucy's sneaky brother stirring up trouble. as Norm, Lucy's sneaky brother stirring up trouble. Leslie Uggams as Overseer Betty, maybe stepping up this season. A major casting highlight is Macaulay Culkin, who joins as a 'crazy genius-type character,' though details about his role remain under wraps. There's also speculation about Anthony Misiano returning as Mr. House, the enigmatic ruler of New Vegas, potentially in a recast or expanded role. Other surviving Season 1 characters, like Zach Cherry's Woody and Annabel O'Hagan's Stephanie, are expected to appear, though not all have been officially confirmed. What to expect in Fallout Season 2 Season 1 left us hanging—Lucy's dad, Hank, is up to some shady Vault-Tec stuff, The Ghoul's chasing ghosts from his pre-war days, and Maximus is trying to be a Brotherhood of Steel rockstar. Now, Season 2's taking us to New Vegas. If you've played Fallout: New Vegas , you're probably freaking out like other hardcore fans. Set leaks show cool stuff like Dinky the T-Rex and hints of the New California Republic (NCR). Maybe even Caesar's Legion? The plot's gonna dig into New Vegas' power games, with Lucy (Ella Purnell) hunting her dad, The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) getting answers, and Maximus (Aaron Moten) dodging wasteland drama. Oh, and expect more Fallout game nods to make us geeks squeal. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
BBC Faces Dilemma Over Kneecap At Glastonbury
As the thousands of fans heading to this year's Glastonbury Festival debate which bands they want to see most, the BBC is facing a dilemma of its own. That centers around Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, who were catapulted to indie darling stardom with the release of their BAFTA-winning semi-autobiographical movie last year but have been generating different kinds of headlines in the newspapers over the past few weeks. More from Deadline BBC Pledges To Be "Mindful" Of Spoilers After Irate Viewers Complain About 'Doctor Who' Reveal Mark Gatiss Downbeat On 'Sherlock' Reunion: "Going Back Is Often Very Difficult" - Italian Global Series Festival Leaked Internal BBC Messages Reveal Staff In Open Revolt Over "Failing" Gaza Output Glastonbury, and longstanding broadcasting partner the BBC, have been feeling the heat over whether they should be platforming the trio, one of whom is currently bailed on a terror charge after displaying a flag at a London gig in support of Hezbollah – a proscribed terrorist group in the UK. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who goes by the name Mo Chara, was supported outside court last week by bandmates and hundreds of fans. This came a few months after counter-terrorism police said they were assessing videos of a bandmember allegedly telling fans at a gig: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' The alleged remarks are particularly charged given that two UK MPs have been killed in their constituencies over the past decade. Kneecap have become known for delivering a vehemently anti-authority, pro-Palestine message during live performances. As it stands, they remain on the bill for their Glastonbury slot at 4 p.m. GMT (8 a.m. PT) on the West Holts stage, one of the smaller stages at the annual festival in the South West of England, which is by a distance the UK's biggest music fest and one of biggest in the world. As its broadcast partner, the BBC brings audiences wall-to-wall coverage of the fest, with stars shown on linear TV and hundreds of performances available to watch on-demand via iPlayer or heard on the radio. Coming at an incredibly sensitive time and with some employees revolting over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the last thing the corporation's bosses need is to be accused of platforming bands accused of terrorist sympathy. At this stage, all options appear to remain open. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines,' said a spokeswoman. 'Decisions about our output will be made in the lead up to the festival.' Those conversations, we understand, are ongoing. Deadline is told that not all Glastonbury performances made available on demand over the years have been streamed live, opening the door to the BBC being able to monitor Kneecap's performance for anything untoward before uploading their performance to iPlayer, in a similar vein to how the BAFTA awards are shown 'as live'. Observers have already been searching for clues as to what might be to come. One person pointed out on X that Kneecap is not mentioned in the BBC's extensive guide to its Glastonbury coverage across TV and radio. 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers,' the spokeswoman added. 'Everyone is welcome here' Deadline understands police and local authorities have been primed to expect right-wing counter protests, a higher risk of terrorist activity and possible violence at the enormous Worthy Farm venue this weekend. The fest's decision to keep Kneecap on the bill has been further thrust into the spotlight after criticism from the very top, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying the performance is not 'appropriate.' We have contacted the Culture, Media and Sport department for comment over whether they feel it is 'appropriate' for the BBC to platform Kneecap, and are awaiting response. The department made its displeasure known several weeks back when Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy ordered a review of a government-backed programme supporting emerging musicians after it awarded £15,000 ($20,000) to Kneecap. Emily Eavis, who organizes Glastonbury and whose dad is the festival's iconic, bearded founder Michael Eavis, told the BBC this afternoon she is yet to respond to Starmer's remark directly but 'everyone is welcome here.' 'There have been a lot of very heated topics this year but we remain just a platform for many, many artists from all over the world,' she said. And this isn't the first time Kneecap has attracted attention around a headline-grabbing festival. At April's Coachella, the band's anti-Israel message was condemned by figures ranging from the Simon Wiesenthal Center to Sharon Osbourne, the latter of whom called for the trio to have their U.S. working visas revoked. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, for Kneecap, American viewers will have no platform from which to watch their Glastonbury performance, as the fest is not available to view in the States. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'My Life With The Walter Boys' Season 2 So Far Everything We Know About The 'Reminders of Him' Movie So Far Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
BBC Finally Sets Out Plans For Kneecap Coverage At Glastonbury
The BBC has revealed how it plans to show Kneecap's Glastonbury performance later today. The corporation has confirmed that the performance will not be streamed live but will be shown on-demand. More from Deadline BBC Confirms Neil Young Glastonbury Set Will Be Televized Live After All BBC Storyville Seeking New Head Following Role Closures & 20% Reduction In Films BBC News Presenters Back Demand For Strike Vote As Colleagues Face Compulsory Layoffs 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers,' a spokeswoman said. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines. We don't always live stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets.' The controversial Irish hip-hop trio will take to what will likely be a packed West Holts Stage in less than two hours. We wrote earlier this week about how the BBC was facing a dilemma over its Kneecap coverage, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying the performance is not 'appropriate.' Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the following day: 'Personally I don't want to see [Kneecap] on TV screens.' One of the group's members, Mo Chara, is currently bailed on a terror charge after displaying a flag at a London gig in support of Hezbollah – a proscribed terrorist group in the UK. This came a few months after counter-terrorism police said they were assessing videos of a bandmember allegedly telling fans at a gig: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' In a Guardian interview yesterday, the band said they were 'in character' when displaying the flag. 'S**t is thrown on stage all the time. If I'm supposed to know every f***ing thing that's thrown on stage… I'd be in Mensa, Jesus Christ,' said Mo Chara, AKA Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh. Earlier today, the BBC confirmed that Neil Young's set will also be shown on TV. Young had the previous day said he did not want his set to be streamed. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
