Top News

Dame Joanna Lumley has aimed a dig at Grammy Award-winning singer Lady Gaga over her alleged on-set behaviour. Joanna's comments emerged in a recent interview, in which she opened up about what it was like working alongside the star on Netflix's Jenna Ortega-fronted Addams Family spin-off, Wednesday.

In this characteristically Gothic show, which, as the title suggests, follows the exploits of the Addams' only daughter, Joanna plays Grandmama Hester Frump, Morticia's mother and Wednesday's grandmother. It also features a cameo from Lady Gaga as the ghost of Rosaline Rotwood, who, in the interview, became the subject of a dig from Joanna, as she spoke to Woman and Home magazine. Joanna claimed that the Bad Romance singer (and star of such films as Joker: Folie à Deux and House of Gucci) "flew in" to film in Ireland, "and nobody was allowed to see her".

She contrasted this with the actions of another celebrity, with whom she starred in a comedy sketch of Downton Abbey. "Utter sweetheart" George Clooney, according to Joanna, "did photographs with every single person".

Joanna, who is best known for the 1990s comedy show Absolutely Fabulous, will reunite with her sitcom co-star, Jennifer Saunders, for a Christmas special of the BBC's Amandaland.

Jennifer will play Joan, the sister of Felicity (played by Joanna) and the aunt of the sitcom's main star, Lucy Punch's Amanda. Her role has been described as "a ball of country-living, enthusiastic upper-class bluster - very, very different from Felicity".

Speaking about the news in a statement, Jennifer said she was "delighted to be joining the fabulous Amandaland gang for a Christmas special". She also noted that playing Joanna's sister was "guaranteed to be a laugh".

In other news, Joanna recently made an appearance on the BBC's flagship evening programme, The One Show, to chat about her new book and TV projects.

Speaking to hosts Alex Jones and Angellica Bell, Joanna was probed about her role in Wednesday. Striking up the conversation, Angellica pointed out that Joanna was not only in season two, but is set to reprise her role in the upcoming season three.

"Yes, I am," Joanna confirmed, before turning to guest star Priscilla Presley and saying: "And, I've got an American accent."

She laughed at her efforts to produce a US accent and, in a further behind-the-scenes glimpse into the set of Wednesday, explained why the character had the accent.

"Just twenty minutes before we started shooting, I went and knocked on Tim Burton's door. I said, 'Tim, it doesn't really say clearly. Where is Grandmama from? What kind of accent?' He said, 'Oh, just not too British'," she revealed.

So, Joanna explained that she did some "very weird acting", but she "sort of got away with it", claiming this was due to her wearing what she described as a "big wig".

The Express has contacted Lady Gaga's representatives for comment.