Ab Fab finally heading to cinemas

Jennifer Saunders is determined to get the Ab Fab movie made this year.

Jennifer Saunders has finally finished the first draft of the Absolutely Fabulous movie script.

The 56-year-old comedian has been working on the project for the past 12 months and has revealed she felt "euphoric" after completing her first attempt.

Confirming the eagerly-awaited film will be named Edina and Patsy in honour of the TV show's much-loved protagonists, the writer explained finishing the script once and for all is her New Year's resolution.

Speaking to the Sunday People newspaper, she said: "I've finished the first draft. I'm feeling euphoric.

"My proper New Year's resolution is to do the film, otherwise it'll be a pointless year of procrastination."

Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley will reunite later this year. Photo / BBC

Jennifer also confirmed that cast favourites Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha and June Whitfield will be portraying their original roles in the movie.

Joanna, 68, portrays the hilarious Patsy Stone, the sidekick of Jennifer's own character, eccentric PR guru Edina Monsoon.

Julia, 46, takes on the role of Eddie's long-suffering and achingly sensible daughter, Saffy, while June, 89, portray's outlandish Eddie's straight-laced mother.

Earlier this year, Jennifer revealed that her struggle to write the movie led her to seek professional help for her procrastination.

She explained: "I am actually having treatment, hypnotherapy, for procrastination. It's true, What my hypnotist said was to get rid of the backpack of negativity."

The star has previously suggested she hopes to bring back everyone who has ever starred in the show to appear in the movie.

This could include the likes of Kate Moss, Emma Bunton, Minnie Driver, Lulu, Richard E Grant, Marianne Faithfull, Robert Lindsay and Ruby Wax.

But Jennifer has admitted she is nervous about taking Patsy and Eddie to the big screen, telling Jonathan Ross there's a huge amount of pressure on her shoulders.

Speaking on The Jonathan Ross show, she said last year: "It's like the second album syndrome.

"Once you've had a bit of success, the last thing you want to do is go and make a flop. So the biggest fear in me is that it won't be good enough. I'm really nervous about it."

Absolutely Fabulous, affectionately coined Ab Fab, originally ran between 1992 and 1996, before returning between 2001 and 2004.

Jennifer - who developed the hugely popular series alongside fellow comedian Dawn French - then brought the comedy back to TV screens for two 20th anniversary specials in December 2011 and July 2012.

- Daily Mail