Absolutely Fabulous returns with new episodes

Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders will return for a new series of Absolutely Fabulous, the BBC has confirmed.

The pair will reprise their much loved roles as Patsy and Edina for a three episode run of the hit show – the first new shows for six years.

Filming is scheduled to begin this summer although Miss Saunders has yet to write the script.

‘In late August I start filming on three episodes of Absolutely Fabulous, which we are all ecstatic about. Miss Saunders has been so busy writing Uptown Downstairs Abbey for Comic Relief and also Spice Girls: The Musical, I don't think she's started [the script],’ Miss Lumley told Hello! magazine.

The Daily Mail revealed the show was set to return last November in an interview with Miss Lumley.

‘Jen wrote to me and said, “Let's talk through it. What do you think?'. And I said, 'Bring it on'. Because we're all still here. Mother's still alive, the wonderful June Whitfield. Julia Sawalha [and] Jane Horrocks [are] all still alive and available ... and I think we just have to do it,' she said at the time.

'The great thing is that because ... we fast-forwarded to where they're very old and nearly dead and practically plugged into vodka machines, it doesn't matter how beyond [the original series] we do it,' she added.

Absolutely Fabulous was first broadcast in 1992 and ran for three series and a two-part special until 1996. It returned for two more series and another two specials between 2001 and 2004, with a Comic Relief edition on BBC1 in 2005.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "We're putting the finishing touches to the deal to bring it back."