Helen Lederer

Helen Lederer is one of Britain’s most distinctive and enduring comedy talents, celebrated for her sharp observational wit, pioneering contribution to alternative comedy, and her continued relevance across television, radio, literature, theatre and live performance.

She is perhaps best known to audiences for her iconic role as the hapless ‘Catriona’ in Absolutely Fabulous, appearing alongside Jennifer Saunders throughout all six series and more recently in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. Earlier in her career, Helen created the unforgettable ‘Girl at the Bar’ character in the BBC sketch show Naked Video, firmly establishing her as a unique comic voice.

Helen emerged from the early 1980s alternative comedy scene at London’s Comedy Store, alongside contemporaries including Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, the late Rik Mayall and Ben Elton. She went on to perform her solo comedy act on ITV’s Saturday Night Live and appeared at the inaugural Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal with Lenny Henry.

Her extensive television career spans a remarkable range of acclaimed comedy and drama, including The Young Ones, French and Saunders, Happy Families, One Foot in the Grave, Bottom, Love Soup, Miss Marple and Hollyoaks. For younger audiences, she is fondly remembered as Miss Bowline-Hitch in CBeebies’ Old Jack’s Boat, opposite Bernard Cribbins, and as Rich Aunt Ruby in Horrid Henry: The Movie.

On BBC Radio, Helen has written and starred in her own comedy series Life with Lederer and All Change, and remains a highly sought-after contributor and panellist, appearing on The News Quiz, Just a Minute, Quote… Unquote, A Good Read, Open Book and Woman’s Hour.

Alongside her performance work, Helen is a respected writer and columnist. She has written for The Mail on Sunday, The Express and The Daily Telegraph, is a regular contributor to Woman & Home, a guest columnist for i newspaper, and currently writes the popular ‘Funny Old World’ column in Woman’s Weekly, where she also serves as the magazine’s much-loved Agony Aunt.

Her theatre work is equally impressive and includes Educating Rita, Alan Bleasdale’s Having a Ball, The Vagina Monologues, Calendar Girls and The Killing of Sister George as well as recently appearing in the production of Fawlty Towers, in London’s West End..

Helen’s first comedy novel, Losing It (Pan Macmillan), was nominated for the prestigious PG Wodehouse Comedy Literary Prize. In 2018, she founded the Comedy Women in Print Prize (CWIP), a ground-breaking initiative designed to champion witty women’s writing and create tangible publishing opportunities. Since its inception, CWIP has helped more than 24 authors secure publishing deals, with judges including Marian Keyes, Maureen Lipman and Joanna Scanlan.

🔗 https://comedywomeninprint.co.uk/

Helen’s appearance on Celebrity Big Brother saw her trending on social media and introduced her to a new generation of fans. Her recent stand-up show I Might As Well Say It sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to rave reviews, reaffirming her status as a vital and fearless live performer.

She is now a sought-after panellist, commentator and cultural voice, and her acclaimed memoir Not That I’m Bitter… is out now and available in all good bookshops and on Amazon.