Helen Lederer Returns to St. James in WHY THE FUSS? Show Tonight

Helen Lederer is instantly recognisable as one of Britain's best-known comedy character actresses and known for her unique wide-eyed brand of wit and observational humour. Due to popular demand she has been invited back to St James Theatre to ask Why The Fuss?.

With the assistance of new best friends Mark Lawson and Michael Crick, Helen previously drilled down the merits of existentialism over creationism, shop lifting over retail therapy, and dissected their various belief systems using personality testing and a sly extraction of top gossip. Lederer is now determined to tease out the meaning of life again with eminent star guests Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Suzanne Moore and Kimberley Walsh tonight 7 November and Jay Rayner, Justin Lee Collins and Colin Blackmore on 28 November. She asks: What is happiness? Is there a point? What's better, laughter or sex, and does anyone use side plates any more?

'A miracle of comic compression and control' - Tony Partick, The Times

Lederer is almost as happy diving off a 3 metre board in a swim suit in front of the nation in ITV's 'Splash' - although, if pushed, she admits she'd rather drink a small sauvignon and write comedy in the time she has left - either way, Helen refuses to grow old since she does not believe in boundaries or the use of discretion. Audience members of the WTF? show felt they were at a marvellous dinner party ... but without the food.

Combining witty, observational stand-up comedy with her skills as an affable chat-show host and political inquiry, Helen's timely show is the perfect reminder of just how brilliant a performer she is and how, as a woman 'whose been round the block several times' - she has a lot to say at a time when it needs saying. At last, here is female intelligence, wit and humour for an audience who wants it ...

For interview requests, images or accreditation contact:

Hayley Chester / hayley@hayleychester.co.uk /07811 405610

Tickets available. Telephone: 0844 264 2140

http://www.stjamestheatre.co.uk/events/helen-lederer-wtf/

Helen is probably best known for her role as the dippy Catriona in Absolutely Fabulous where she appeared alongside Jennifer Saunders in all five series of the show as well as creating the 'girl at the bar' in Naked Video. However, to many she is known for her unique brand of wit and observational humour. A prolific comedy writer with a bulging portfolio that includes writing and performing her own material, Helen enjoys the unique position of having starred in most top TV comedy and radio shows.

Helen was part of an exalted group of early 80's comedians including French and Saunders, Rik Mayall and Harry Enfield who made their names at London's famous Comedy store. She was a guest on ITV's SaturdayNight Live with her solo comedy act and in sketches with Harry Enfield as well as performing at the first Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal along with Lenny Henry. TV appearances span such shows as One Foot In The Grave, Casualty, Bottom, Love Soup and Miss Marple.

On BBC Radio, she is a regular panellist in shows that include The News Quiz, Just a Minute, Quote Unquote, Open Book, A Good Read, Woman's Hour as well as writing and starring in two comedies, All Change and Life with Lederer. As a writer her columns include Woman and Home, The Independent, The Mail on Sunday, Daily Telegraph and she is current the 'agony aunt' for My Weekly.

Her theatre work includes following hot on the heels of Julie Walters in Educating Rita, playing Doreen in Alan Bleasdale's Having a Ball as well as performing in The Vagina Monologues, Calendar Girls and The Killing of Sister George in London's West End interspersed with many fringe theatre plays.