“Joanna Lumley on Life, Legacy, and Knowing Time Is Precious”

Dame Joanna Lumley has always seemed ageless — a whirlwind of grace, wit, and impeccable poise. Yet in a quietly moving new interview, the 78-year-old actress and activist has spoken with disarming honesty about mortality and the awareness that, as she puts it, “there’s not all that amount of time left.”

For millions, Lumley will forever be the champagne-swigging Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous, the epitome of excess and elegance. But off-screen, she’s reflective, grounded, and increasingly philosophical about the passage of time.

Facing Time with Grace

Speaking ahead of her latest travel series for ITV, in which she journeys along the 1,770-mile River Danube from Germany to the Black Sea, Lumley revealed that filming the project made her acutely aware of both the vastness of the world and the finiteness of life.

“I’m very conscious now that there’s not all that amount of time left,” she said. “You start counting the years and thinking, right, what do I actually want to do with the time I have?”

Rather than dwelling on fear, she views the subject with her trademark pragmatism and humour. “We all have to go, darling,” she added, “so we may as well make a good show of living while we’re here.”

It’s this mix of frankness and optimism that has endeared Lumley to audiences for more than half a century.

A Career of Many Lives

Born in Kashmir and raised in England, Lumley began as a model in the 1960s before finding fame as Purdey in The New Avengers. Yet it was Absolutely Fabulous in the 1990s that turned her into a national treasure.

Since then, she’s appeared in everything from The Wolf of Wall Street to the hit Netflix thriller Fool Me Once, and most recently the Motherland spin-off Amandaland.

“I’ve been terribly lucky,” she said. “Every time I thought something might be my last big role, another one has come along. It’s been a glorious surprise.”

Even now, she remains one of television’s hardest-working performers, balancing acting with humanitarian campaigns that have taken her to refugee camps and war zones.

Travel, Reflection, and Renewal

Her new series, Joanna Lumley’s Danube Adventure, is her most personal travelogue yet. Over the course of four episodes she traces the river’s path through ten countries — exploring history, music, and identity.

“The Danube connects so many stories,” she explained. “You realise how much has happened along its banks — revolutions, love affairs, wars. It makes you think about your own story, too.”

She admits that the long days of travel tested her stamina but insists she relished every moment. “You can’t take anything for granted at my age,” she said with a laugh. “When the chance comes to climb a hill or meet extraordinary people, you simply say yes.”

Activism at Heart

Beyond acting, Lumley’s passion for activism remains undiminished. She continues to campaign for veterans of the Gurkha regiment, for whom she famously fought a decade-long battle for the right to settle in the UK.

She’s also a committed environmentalist and supporter of numerous humanitarian causes.

“It gives purpose to life,” she said. “When you know you’ve helped even one person, it’s an extraordinary feeling.”

Her compassion, she admits, is tied to her awareness of time passing. “You stop worrying about being busy or successful,” she said. “You start asking, what am I leaving behind?*

The Art of Acceptance

Lumley’s reflections have resonated deeply with fans who see her as both glamorous and grounded. On social media, followers called her words “humbling” and “beautifully real.”

She has no fear of aging — in fact, she embraces it. “I think we should be proud of every line and every year,” she told Radio Times. “They show that you’ve lived. People waste so much time trying to erase life from their faces.”

Still, she admits there’s a bittersweet quality to getting older. “When you reach your late seventies, you realise you’ve probably done more days than you have left,” she said. “But it doesn’t frighten me — it spurs me on.”

A Life Well Lived

As she looks ahead to her 80s, Lumley’s schedule remains as lively as ever. A new stage project is reportedly in development, alongside another travel special planned for 2026.

Her secret, she says, is simple gratitude. “Every morning I wake up and think, lucky old me. I’ve had more adventures than I could ever have dreamed of.”

And as for mortality, Lumley approaches it with serenity rather than sorrow.

“When the time comes, I’ll be ready,” she said softly. “I’ve laughed enough, loved enough, and hopefully helped enough. That’s all anyone can ask.”

The Last Word

For an actress who once played television’s most fabulous hedonist, Joanna Lumley has become a quiet voice of wisdom in an often-noisy world. Her reflections on life’s brevity aren’t morbid — they’re a celebration of time itself.

And perhaps that’s her greatest gift to her fans: the reminder that the clock is always ticking, but that the best response isn’t fear — it’s joy.