ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS star Joanna Lumley was yesterday honoured by St Andrews University in recognition of her contribution to the world of entertainment and her extensive charitable work.

The former model, who is one of the UK’s most popular actresses, received an honorary doctorate in the Younger Hall during the latest in the series of seven graduation ceremonies being held this week.

Arguably best known for her portrayal in award-winning Ab Fab as the chain smoking, boozing Patsy Stone, she was conferred with an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters.

In her laureation address, Professor Gill Plain, of the School of English, told the audience of academics, students, parents and other guests, “From humble beginnings as a Bond girl in 1969, Joanna Lumley has worked to become an actress of considerable range and distinction.

“On stage she has starred in Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler and Coward’s Private Lives, while on film she has long since escaped her early typecasting as a glamorous secretary.”

Professor Plain added, “Her outstanding television work, meanwhile, has been recognised in BAFTA nominations for both comedy and drama.

“While A Rather English Marriage demonstrated her skills as a straight actress, her performance as Patsy, described by one critic as ‘a hilarious and hideous satire around the expectations of glamour and refinement assigned to her,’ revealed her particular aptitude for comedy and deservedly won her the BAFTA.”

She added, however, that acting, although central to Ms Lumley’s life, is far from being the whole story.

Professor Plain said, “By her own admission, Joanna Lumley is ‘willing to learn,’ and over the past 40 years she has learnt, amongst other things, to be a journalist, a mother and an interviewer.

“She has learnt how to be a Booker Prize judge, and, for the BBC series Girl Friday, how to survive on a desert island.

She also received a surprise kiss on her cheek from the writer and lecturer, Sir John Lister-Kaye, who was earlier conferred with an honorary degree of Doctor of Science.

The recently appointed chancellor, Sir Menzies Campbell, presided over yesterday’s two graduation programmes, his first since assuming office.

He will also chair today’s final two ceremonies.