Arabella Weir

Arabella Weir (born December 6, 1957 in San Francisco, California, United States) is a British comedian, actress and writer.

The daughter of former British ambassador Sir Michael Weir, she is famous for her roles in The Fast Show which made her very successful and for writing a number of books including the international best seller Does My Bum Look Big In This? (a catchphrase of one of her characters in the show). She is also well known for her books Onwards and Upwards and Cupid for which she also wrote the screenplay now owned by Working Title. Arabella has written for The Independent magazine, which is included with the Saturday edition and the Guardian newspaper and Weekend magazine. She continues to contribute regularly to both newspapers. Weir was a backing singer for a period in an early band, Bazooka Joe, which featured one Stuart Goddard, better known later on in his career as Adam Ant. She starred in the 2003 comedy series Posh Nosh, which she also co-wrote with Jon Canter. She contributes to the BBC2 comedy series, Grumpy Old Women.

She made regular appearances in the BBC Radio 4 comedy series Smelling of Roses and "Down the Line". She has performed in Exile — a Doctor Who audio play by Big Finish Productions as an alternate female version of the Doctor. Arabella provides the voice for the puppet duck character Hana in forthcoming children's TV show Hana's Helpline.

She appeared in the E4 teen drama/comedy Skins as the mother of Michelle Richardson. She has also appeared in Nickelodeon's children's TV comedy Genie in the House as the Norton's nosey neighbour Peggy.

She attended Camden School for Girls from 1969 to 1976. She is married to Dr Jeremy Norton; the couple have two children. The actor David Tennant is a close friend and is godfather to her children. When Tennant first moved to London in the early 1990s, he lodged with Weir at her house in Crouch End for five years; they had met on the set of the BBC TV series Takin' Over the Asylum. Weir said she would move out of London were Boris Johnson to be elected Mayor, but has failed to do so.[