She earned her Bachelors of Arts in Drama with honors at Birmingham University in Birmingham, England.
She has two children, Grace Eleanor Durham (born in October 1988) and Henry William Durham (born in May 1992).
She is a British comedienne known for her one-woman shows on stage and her television shows.
She was awarded OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1997 Queen's Honours List and awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honors List for her services to drama.
She was awarded the 2005 British Comedy Award for Outstanding Contribution to Comedy.