# Helen Lederer
**Helen Lederer** (born 1954) is a British actor, writer and stand-up comedian best known for playing Catriona, the well-meaning but ineffective magazine employee, in [Jennifer Saunders](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-saunders)'s sitcom *Absolutely Fabulous* across all six series and in the 2016 film *Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie*[1](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/helen_lederer/) • [2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography). She emerged from the London alternative comedy scene of the early 1980s, created the "Girl at the Bar" character in the BBC Scotland sketch show *[Naked Video](https://www.edgepedia.org/naked-video)*, and later founded the Comedy Women in Print Prize to support comic fiction by women[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954; British[1](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/helen_lederer/) |
| Signature role | Catriona in *Absolutely Fabulous*, 1992–2012 on television and in the 2016 film[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/380516/absolutely-fabulous-catriona) • [2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) |
| Comedy roots | Early 1980s London Comedy Store circle with Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Rik Mayall, and Ben Elton[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) |
| Radio | Wrote and performed the Sony Award-winning *In One Ear* and her own series *Life with Lederer* and *All Change*[4](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/television-and-radio) • [2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) |
| Books | *Losing It* (Pan Macmillan), nominated for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize in 2015; memoir *Not That I'm Bitter* (Mirror Books, April 2024)[5](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/author) • [2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) |
| CWIP | Founded the Comedy Women in Print Prize in 2018[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) |
| Recent stage and TV | Mrs. Richards in the West End *Fawlty Towers* stage show (2025); BBC Two's *Pilgrimage: The Road Through the Alps* (2025)[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Helen-Lederer/) • [7](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/helen-lederer) |
## Early life and comedy beginnings
Lederer's father was Jewish and was sent to England from what was then [Czechoslovakia](https://www.edgepedia.org/czechoslovakia) before the Second World War; his parents and sister followed a year later, while other relatives were sent to concentration camps. She has said this history was not discussed openly in the family but was absorbed as an unspoken presence[8](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/apr/10/helen-lederer-on-envy-rejection-fun-and-fame-i-wanted-it-so-badly-maybe-thats-not-normal). She attended Blackheath High School in south-east London, an independent girls' school she later described as exam-focused and conventional, where she was placed in a writing class because her handwriting was poor and where nobody suggested drama school as an option[9](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/classroom-memories-helen-lederer-317604.html).
Before performing, she worked in social welfare, then completed a master's degree and joined a community theater. Using money from an inheritance she gave up that work and went to drama school[8](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/apr/10/helen-lederer-on-envy-rejection-fun-and-fame-i-wanted-it-so-badly-maybe-thats-not-normal). She began writing her own material for stand-up gigs in the 1980s as part of the alternative comedy scene, performing in rooms above pubs and at the Comedy Store, then formed a double act before joining the BBC live radio comedy series *In One Ear*[10](https://www.comedy.co.uk/pro/features/my-comedy-career-helen-lederer/). She has described the environment for women on stage at the time bluntly: when she began in 1983, audiences tended to "glaze over or throw things" unless the performer was male[11](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/stand-up-comedy-theatre).
## Television
**Naked Video and the 1980s.** Lederer was a writer and ensemble performer on *Naked Video*, the BBC Scotland sketch show that ran from 1986 to 1991, where she created the "Girl at the Bar", a Sloaney-girl-in-a-bar character that became a highlight of the series[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) • [12](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/helen-lederer-i-ve-been-called-the-supply-teacher-of-comedy-it-could-be-worse-2341190.html). Her television appearances through the decade included *The Young Ones*, *Happy Families* ([Ben Elton](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-elton)'s sitcom), *French and Saunders*, *Filthy Rich & Catflap*, and *Bottom*, [Rik Mayall](https://www.edgepedia.org/rik-mayall) and [Adrian Edmondson](https://www.edgepedia.org/adrian-edmondson)'s anarchic sitcom, in which she played a nurse[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) • [1](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/helen_lederer/).
**Absolutely Fabulous.** From 1992 she played Catriona, a colleague of Patsy Stone and Magda at a magazine, in *Absolutely Fabulous*. The character appeared across the show's run, from the first-series episode "Magazine" in December 1992 through the 2011–2012 specials, in 14 episodes in total[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/380516/absolutely-fabulous-catriona). Lederer has said Jennifer Saunders described the character as one of "those people that just does things, and no one knows how", well intentioned and rich but completely oblivious[12](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/helen-lederer-i-ve-been-called-the-supply-teacher-of-comedy-it-could-be-worse-2341190.html). She reprised the role in *Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie* (2016)[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography).
Her other television work spans *One Foot in the Grave*, *Love Soup*, *Miss Marple*, and *Hollyoaks*; in children's television she played Miss Bowline-Hitch opposite [Bernard Cribbins](https://www.edgepedia.org/bernard-cribbins) in CBeebies' *Old Jack's Boat* and Rich Aunt Ruby in *Horrid Henry: The Movie*[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography). She has also appeared in reality and factual programs including *Celebrity Big Brother*, the diving show *Splash*, *Celebrity Coach Trip*, and the genealogy film *War Hero in my Family*, in which she traced her father's and grandfather's history and visited Auschwitz[4](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/television-and-radio).
## Radio and writing
Lederer's first radio job was the live [BBC Radio](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-radio) comedy series *In One Ear*, which won the Sony award for radio comedy; on it she wrote her "pen pal" letters to politicians[4](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/television-and-radio). On BBC radio she later wrote and performed her own comedy series, *Life with Lederer* (two series, 1990–1991) and *All Change*, and became a frequent panelist on shows including *The News Quiz*, *Just a Minute*, *Quote...Unquote*, *A Good Read*, *Open Book*, and *Woman's Hour*[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) • [1](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/helen_lederer/). Her recent podcast work includes the BBC Radio series *Knock Knock*, in which she talks with other comedians about whether they share the same head space[4](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/television-and-radio).
As a columnist she has written for *Woman & Home*, the *i* newspaper, *Woman's Weekly* (the "Funny Old World" column), *The Mail on Sunday*, *The Express*, *The Daily Telegraph*, and a weekly humor column in *Best* magazine[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography).
## Books and the Comedy Women in Print Prize
Her published books include the self-help parody *Coping with Helen Lederer* (Angus and Robertson), *Single Minding* (Hodder and Stoughton) about bringing up children alone, the Quick Reads title *Finger Food*, and short stories in the [HarperCollins](https://www.edgepedia.org/harpercollins) collections *Girls Night Out* and *Girls Night In*[5](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/author) • [13](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-we-met-5632211.html). Her first comedy novel, *Losing It* (Pan Macmillan), about an agony aunt who becomes the front woman for a new diet pill, was nominated for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize in 2015, and she read the audiobook version herself[5](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/author).
In 2018 she founded the Comedy Women in Print Prize (CWIP) to celebrate and enable witty women's writing and to create a platform for women's wit, with a publishing offer for the winner of the Unpublished Fiction category. By her own account the prize has enabled more than 35 authors to become published, and its judges have included [Marian Keyes](https://www.edgepedia.org/marian-keyes), Maureen Lipman, Lolly Adefope, Llewella Gideon, and [Joanna Scanlan](https://www.edgepedia.org/joanna-scanlan)[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography). The *Guardian* has framed the prize as a response to how few female authors had won the Wodehouse prize for comic fiction[7](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/helen-lederer).
Her memoir *Not That I'm Bitter* was published in April 2024 by Mirror Books. It covers her comedy career, single motherhood, and the industry's rejections, and it received five-star reviews; a paperback with new chapters about *The Pilgrimage* and the death of [Tony Slattery](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-slattery), her friend of 41 years, followed on 10 April 2025, and she recorded the audiobook[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography) • [4](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/television-and-radio).
## Stage career
Her theater work includes *Educating Rita*, Alan Bleasdale's *Having a Ball*, and West End runs of *The Vagina Monologues*, *Calendar Girls*, and *The Killing of Sister George*, alongside fringe productions[2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography). She joined the third cast of *Calendar Girls* at the Noel Coward Theatre in November 2009, appearing alongside Janie Dee, Kelly Brook, Arabella Weir, and Debbie Chazen[14](https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/brief-encounter-with-helen-lederer_15312/).
**Edinburgh returns.** After an eight-year absence she returned to the Edinburgh Festival in 2004 with *Finger Food*, a show about a failing television presenter[15](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/helen-lederer-assembly-rooms-edinburgh-756159.html). In 2018, after a 14-year gap, she returned to the Fringe with the confessional stand-up show *I Might as Well Say It* at Underbelly, selling out a full 22-night run in the McEwan Hall to strong reviews[11](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/stand-up-comedy-theatre). Reviewers described a fast-paced performance built on self-deprecation, sharp wit, and direct address to the audience[16](https://fringereview.co.uk/review/edinburgh-fringe/2018/helen-lederer-i-might-as-well-say-it/).
In 2025 she joined the West End stage adaptation of *Fawlty Towers* at the [Apollo Theatre](https://www.edgepedia.org/apollo-theatre) as Mrs. Richards, taking over the role during the run[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Helen-Lederer/) • [2](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography).
## Recent work
In 2025 Lederer was one of the celebrities in the [BBC Two](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-two) series *Pilgrimage: The Road Through the Alps*, walking the Alps route with six other well-known participants; the *Guardian* review called the series miraculous television[7](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/helen-lederer). She has also taken acting roles in continuing drama, playing Elspeth in *Coronation Street*[17](https://humourology.co/humourology/helen-lederer-on-humourology/). Reflecting on her career in a 2024 *Guardian* interview at 69, she described a lifetime of near misses and rejections alongside the sitcom work, and said she had long wanted a show of her own, which never materialized[8](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/apr/10/helen-lederer-on-envy-rejection-fun-and-fame-i-wanted-it-so-badly-maybe-thats-not-normal).
## References
1. [Helen Lederer, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/helen_lederer/)
2. [Biography, Helen Lederer official site](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/biography)
3. [Catriona, Absolutely Fabulous, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/380516/absolutely-fabulous-catriona)
4. [Television & Radio, Helen Lederer official site](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/television-and-radio)
5. [Author, Helen Lederer official site](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/author)
6. [Helen Lederer, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Helen-Lederer/)
7. [Helen Lederer, The Guardian topic page](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/helen-lederer)
8. [Helen Lederer on envy, rejection, fun and fame, The Guardian (10 April 2024)](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/apr/10/helen-lederer-on-envy-rejection-fun-and-fame-i-wanted-it-so-badly-maybe-thats-not-normal)
9. [Classroom Memories: Helen Lederer, The Independent (2005)](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/classroom-memories-helen-lederer-317604.html)
10. [My Comedy Career: Helen Lederer, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/pro/features/my-comedy-career-helen-lederer/)
11. [Stand Up Comedy & Theatre, Helen Lederer official site](https://www.helenlederer.co.uk/stand-up-comedy-theatre)
12. [Helen Lederer: 'I've been called the supply teacher of comedy', The Independent (2011)](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/helen-lederer-i-ve-been-called-the-supply-teacher-of-comedy-it-could-be-worse-2341190.html)
13. [How We Met: Tony Slattery and Helen Lederer, The Independent (1996)](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-we-met-5632211.html)
14. [Brief Encounter With... Helen Lederer, WhatsOnStage (2009)](https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/brief-encounter-with-helen-lederer_15312/)
15. [Helen Lederer, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, The Independent (2004)](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/helen-lederer-assembly-rooms-edinburgh-756159.html)
16. [Helen Lederer: I Might as Well Say It, FringeReview (2018)](https://fringereview.co.uk/review/edinburgh-fringe/2018/helen-lederer-i-might-as-well-say-it/)
17. [Helen Lederer on Humourology Podcast (2024)](https://humourology.co/humourology/helen-lederer-on-humourology/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames L to M*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license