Finally, it could be Absolutely Fabulous

After years of rumours and speculation, comedienne Jennifer Saunders has announced that she has finished writing the first draft for a movie of her classic sitcom creation, Absolutely Fabulous.

That’s right, darling! Patsy, Edina, Saffy and the gang could finally be receiving the big screen treatment, some 20 years after Ade Edmondson‘s other half started penning a script.

Ms Saunders sounds more upbeat than ever about the project, saying recently: “I’ve finished the first draft. My proper New Year’s resolution is to do the film, otherwise it’ll be a pointless year of procrastination.” That sounds like fighting talk to us, although it might be that she has no choice in the matter these days, as it was recently alleged that she had a wager with long-term comedy partner Dawn French, who is said to have bet her £100,000 that she won’t produce the final script.

At the moment, all that is known about the film is that it will be called Edina and Patsy – after Saunders’ permanently intoxicated PR guru and Joanna Lumley‘s chain smoking physical wreck – although Jen has mentioned that she would like to see Angelina Jolie figure somewhere in the cast.

As hotly-anticipated as this movie is likely to be, there will be plenty of detractors due to the fact that so many sitcoms have crashed and burned when adapted in this way. However, given the success that Ab Fab enjoyed, this could easily be one that bucks the trend. Saunders’ track record is, after all, also admirable: The Comic Strip Presents and French and Saunders were both huge in their day as well. The one black mark came with the Spice Girls‘ musical Viva Forever!, but hey, we’ll let her off.

All being well, Edina and Patsy will be ready to roll by the end of this year.