Absolutely Fabulous

Edina Monsoon and her best friend Patsy face a heavy day. Eddy is frantically preparing for her debut fashion show and trying to prove to her daughter, Saffron, that she can function without booze. Patsy, content for alcohol to remain a substitute for food, isn't helping.

Eddy is contemplating ways to lose weight. The problem becomes critical when she hears she is going to be visited by her reed-like model friend from the '60s. Drastic measures are taken as Eddy embarks on an aggressive weight loss regime which includes 'sleep running'.

When Eddy and Patsy take a trip to Provence, they find the language barrier is the least of their problems. Tension between them mounts as they drive round in circles looking for their accommodation, trying to remember which side of the road the French drive on.

Banned from attending Saffron's college open day, Edina sulks in the brand new isolation tank she's had shipped over from LA. As she slips into a dream-like state, her world begins to change, but not necessarily for the better.

Patsy decides to go to work for the first time ever, sending shock waves through her magazine company. To drum up publicity she organizes a fashion show, but it's put in jeopardy when at the last minute all of her models quit. Will she be able to persuade Saffron to help her out?

Edina has reached a milestone in her life - her fortieth birthday. But far from rejoicing, the horror of reaching the big four-zero has traumatic effects and she tries to hide away from the world. Unfortunately, Saffy has organized a surprise family lunch for her.

Patsy finds herself in the middle of a tabloid scandal when her affair with a politician is exposed. But having her moral rectitude questioned is nothing compared to the indignity of having her true age revealed in the press. Meanwhile, Eddy stubs her toe and insists on immediate surgery.

After receiving news of her father's death, Edina takes the theme of transience to heart and decides to invest in some immortal works of art. Patsy is called in to help her find the right acquisitions, but Saffy is disgusted that her mother is more upset about putting on weight than the death of her own father.

Patsy, Eddy and Saffron head to Marrakech for a photo-shoot. Edina and Patsy use the trip as an excuse to shop for ethnic fashions, while Saffron turns her attention to the native inhabitants. However, it's not long before tensions between Eddy's best friend and daughter come to a head.

A tiff between Eddy and Patsy leaves them both in search of a new best friend, while Eddy's minimalist friend from the '60s, Bettina has become preoccupied by her new baby. How long will the fashion-obsessed, champagne-drinking pair survive without each other?

Eddy's ex-husbands have discovered that she has been deceiving both of them into paying her alimony, and decide to cut off all support. Eddy is forced to cut her expenses, but Saffron soon realizes her mother's attempts at frugal living take her food shopping in Harrods, and getting rid of her driver aren't the lifestyle changes that her modified income can support.

When Eddy and Patsy decide to have a night out, Saffy looks forward to the chance of a quiet night in with her boyfriend. But when Gran absent-mindedly locks them all in the sitting room, Eddy attempts to have a serious chat about the facts of life - with the aid of a Cosmo magazine sex quiz.

Eddy's determination to make sure the decor in the new kitchen is perfectly coordinated takes her to New York in search of the perfect door handle. Saffy is not impressed, and to make matters worse Patsy wants her help interpreting a letter from the health authority.

Saffy has plans for New Year's Eve - a quiet night in with Gran, her dad Justin and his boyfriend Oliver. But this won't do for Eddy, who has made a resolution to have more fun and plans to see in the New Year at a club in an underground car park. All plans are halted, however, by the arrival of Patsy's long lost sister Jackie.

Eddy has become frustrated with the size of her bedroom and wants to expand it by knocking down the wall to Serge's room. While rummaging through his stuff she finds an adult magazine and realizes that it's been a very long time since she had sex - so Patsy comes up with a plan.

PR-land quakes with anticipation as the award season approaches. Edina, having paid for them, naturally expects to win her fair share. Meanwhile, Saffy gets some extra special education from her psychology lecturer. Naomi Campbell puts in an appearance as herself, but where is Lulu when you need her?

Patsy shacks up with Edina after Saffy leaves for college, but the pair find it hard to survive alone. Everything gets significantly worse for Eddy when Lulu decides to join a more efficient American PR company, and when Patsy also gets some bad news they are faced with a major crossroads in their lives.

Eddy and Patsy decide to go their separate ways. Patsy flies to New York to try her hand as a magazine editor, while a lonely Eddy joins a commune in search of her real self and Gran is left at home to become addicted to the shopping channel. It's not long before both Eddy and Patsy realize that life just isn't the same without the other.

Patsy has had a Parralox injection to freeze her wrinkles. Saffy is trying to get a job with the New Labour party and Edina, who now runs a television company as well as her PR enterprise, has got herself an appearance booked on This Morning with Richard and Judy. As her TV appearance draws near, Edina succumbs to the power of Parralox.

When Saffy employs the tousle-haired Jago to redesign the garden, Patsy recognises him as the younger brother of a well-known aristocrat and Eddy decides to turn on the charm.

Patsy and Edina go on a photo shoot to Paris for a 'generation flex' feature in which old and young mingle. Patsy teams up with a supermodel, while Edina teams up with Saffy. But Patsy finds the shoot is not quite the glamorous trip down memory lane she expected.

Edina embarks on a detox diet in a desperate attempt to get thin. But her nights are plagued with visits from God and the devil, both of whom have their own agendas.

Saffy's play opens at a small fringe theater. Afraid that the play could bring her public humiliation, Edina and Bubble plot to get it cancelled. Meanwhile, Saffy's father Justin, Edina's first husband Marshall and his American girlfriend Bo arrive to offer moral support.

Edina's company is hemorrhaging clients to PR rival Claudia Bing. The only client left on her books is Twiggy. Patsy seems to be going through the menopause so Saffy arranges for Patsy and Edina to attend a meeting of Menopause Anonymous. They may never be the same again.

Saffy has been away in Iraq as an aid worker and Eddy has had no-one to curb her extravagance. Her clients have also deserted her in droves. But she continues to take little interest in her remaining client - Emma Bunton. When Saffy finally arrives home she has some shocking news in store for Eddy.

Saffy receives a visit from her sadistic midwife and is subjected to a demonstation of the most painful aspects of childbirth. Eddy meets with her book club and is distressed to find that Elizabeth Hurley has pulled out. Patsy, Plum and Mariella Frostrup turn up to discuss the merits of OK! magazine.

Eddy has installed a state of the art 'panic room'. It contains Closed Caption TV monitors, board games and, of course, alcohol. Meanwhile Patsy has an eventful day at Jeremy's and meets Minnie Driver. Patsy persuades her to visit Eddy's for a personal styling session, but things don't quite go to plan.

Eddy is off on a weekend of adventous pursuits in the country with Patsy. They are disappointed to find that hunting and killing small animals is off the menu. Meanwhile Saffy is at home hanging out with her girlfriends - Emma and Sarah. But Sarah starts to display an unhealthy interest in Emma's fame.

It's a big night for Patsy. She's about to host the Style Awards at the Royal Albert Hall. Patsy has acquired some exclusive Huki Muki gear for the occasion. Saffy having reached blimp-size is about to go into labor and opts for a home birth. But her waters break at an unfortunate moment.

Eddy has rekindled her relationship with childhood sweetheart Pete. He's an engineer at Abbey Road studios and has found some lost Beatles recordings. In order to trumpet the discovery Eddy wants to throw a listening party. Elton John is of course invited.

Baby Jane's crying is driving Eddy nuts. Saffy isn't finding much joy in her new motherhood either. But help is at hand in the unexpected form of Patsy. Unbeknownst to Saffy, Patsy has found Jane a modelling assignment. Now if Saffy can just be persuaded to leave the house with John.

Patsy hates Christmas and refuses to acknowledge its existence. Unfortunately Eddie has plans this year and for the very first time, she wants to stay at home with Saffy and her grand daughter. All of this Christmas spirit is too much for Patsy and she finds herself in a downward spiral.

Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley return along with a host of guest stars for a Christmas special of the classic sitcom. Patsy is now chief buyer for a new designer shop called 'Jeremy's'. She goes to New York Fashion Week to find ideas but her plans are soon subverted by Edina's search for Serge, Saffy's long departed older brother and their encounter with social counsellor Goldie. Meanwhile Bo and Marshall are running a Christian TV show and Saffy has been observing the world from inside a cupboard to help her career as a writer.

Eddy wants to redecorate the kitchen. Naturally, she calls on her interior designer friends, Bettina and Max, for advice on the new look. She is sure she has seen what she wants somewhere - perhaps it was in a past life. Meanwhile, Mother is looking after the baby amid all the chaos, Saffy is doing her best to get Patsy to move out, and Bubble continues to sneer at anyone less posh than her.

Saffy is released from prison after serving two years for forging passports. Funny thing is, she can't recall actually committing the crime. Edina tells Saffy she is welcome to invite her prison friends around, only to regret it when the alarming drug dealer Baron shows up. Turns out Patsy still owes Baron money. A lot of money. If only Patsy actually knew how to spend her own cash, or in fact, if she even has any. Of course, Mother may have an answer. Will anybody take the time to listen to her?

Times are tough for Edina. She doesn't have the clients she used to, the ones she has are jumping ship, and her daughter despises her. It's just another day in PR. Still, Edina has a plan to kill two birds with one stone. The famous French film star Jeanne Durand is looking for representation, and Saffy idolises her. If Eddie can get Jeanne to sing at the Royal Albert Hall (with VIP tickets for Saffy of course), perhaps everything will turn out alright. Now, if only Jeanne could actually sing…

Even the London 2012 Olympics aren’t safe from the disgraceful duo as Eddy and Patsy play their own very special part in this prestigious sporting event. Eddy rents out her house to someone rather important (Hollywood, darling), and the ladies schmooze some rather famous UK athletes, as only they know how.