Joanna Lumley at BAFTA TV Awards: 'People in our profession don't discriminate'

'I always wanted to be with people who have left race and religion outside the door'

Last week, Joanna Lumley caused upset by claiming Idris Elba could not play James Bond because the British actor does not fit Ian Fleming’s description of the character.

Speaking at the BAFTA TV Awards while picking up the Fellowship Award, Lumley spoke about diversity, and how the television industry doesn’t discriminate.

“This is, for me, paradise, because I’m here where I wanted to be,” she told the audience. “What I mean by that is I am in the company that I wish to keep ever since I was young.

“I wanted to be with people who have left race and religion and age and gender and shoe size and things outside the door when they came.

“People in our profession don't have those discriminations. I wanted to be with those people, I wanted to hang out with the boys in the band. I wanted to be part of the sisterhood.”

She concluded: “I wanted to be in this great circus, in this fellowship. And now I’m standing here with my gorgeous family, my beloved friends, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Lumley also thanked Absolutely Fabulous co-star Jennifer Saunders and thanked the audience. Other winners on the night included Happy Valley, the BBC show scooping the most awards. Here’s the winners’ list in full.