Barry Humphries is in hospital after suffering ‘serious’ health problems following a hip replacement, but one of the constants in the Australian comedian’s life is Elizabeth Spender, his fourth wife.
Barry, 89, a father of four, is known for playing character Dame Edna and has described himself as lucky after finding love with Elizabeth.
He told Reader’s Digest: ‘We have been married for over 30 years now. I have to thank Wife No. 2 for two daughters and Wife No. 3 for two sons.
“Between them they have produced 10 grandchildren that I adore. But I’ve also become a lot smarter and that’s why this marriage has survived.’
He lives in London with Elizabeth, also known as Lizzie, but has spent time in Australia, catching up with old friends such as painter John Olsen.
While he remains hospitalized, his devoted wife has reassured news outlets that he is “well.”
Love: Barry, 89, a father of four, is known for playing character Dame Edna and described himself as happy after finding love with Elizabeth (pictured together in 2022)
Who is Elizabeth Spender?
Elizabeth, 73, is the film, television actress and writer, daughter of concert pianist Natasha Spender and poet, novelist and essayist Sir Stephen Spender.
The actress was born in London and is the sister of sculptor Matthew Spender.
As a child, she spent every summer in Galway with American actress Anjelica Huston and her family and they remain friends to this day.
In 2012, she became an Australian citizen after living there for 24 years and attending a ceremony at the Australian home in The Strand.
She and Barry spend half the year in Australia and live together in Sydney.
How did Barry and Elizabeth meet?
The couple first met in 1988 at a Groucho Club party and got back together a few years later when he separated from his third wife.
Barry called her when he was “in a less married state” and they married in 1990.
Acting: Elizabeth, 73, (pictured with Barry in 2016) is the daughter of concert pianist Natasha Spender and poet, novelist and essayist Sir Stephen Spender
What is Lizzie’s work history?
Before becoming an actress, Lizzie took several jobs after originally giving up on her dream because she didn’t think she was right for the business.
When she started her career, she explained that executives were looking for actresses of “even height and weight.”
Instead of being an actress, she worked as a journalist for a teen magazine and interviewed a host of stars, including Freddie Mercury.
But she left the industry preferring fiction writing before working for Virgin under Richard Branson.
She realized her dream of going to drama school when she was older and at the same time as Pierce Brosnan.
Lizzie wrote the television series Hedgehog Wedding which was a success and also wrote These Foolish Things which was not so successful.
The star has also appeared in numerous movies and television shows and went on to write her memoir Wild Horse Diaries.
What television shows and movies has Elizabeth starred in and written for?
The actress starred in and wrote numerous movies and TV shows.
They include Testament of Youth; Volume 5: 1918 (1979), Feet First (1979), There Trudi (1979) and The Happy Autumn Fields (1980).
Also on the list are New Life (1982), Kelly Monteith (1982), Brazil (1985), The Mozart Inquest (1986), and Hedgehog Wedding (1987).
Others include The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1988), These Foolish Things (1989), Selling Hitler (1991), and The Leading Man (1997).
Together: Barry and Elizabeth first met in 1988 at a Groucho Club party and got back together a few years later when he separated from his third wife (pictured with Joan Collins in 2021)
