Dame Joanna Lumley has opened up about why cutting meat from her life was initially “awful”. However, persevering with the lifestyle has helped her reap many health benefits, including avoiding illness.
The 78-year-old actress, famed for her roles in Absolutely Fabulous and the Netflix series Fool Me Once, talked about her dietary journey on the Waitrose Dish podcast alongside Radio DJ Nick Grimshaw and chef Angela Hartnett. Reflecting on a decades-old decision to become vegetarian – which dramatically altered her eating habits – she revealed her initial difficulties.
Lumley said: “It was awful to begin with, going out to restaurants and dinner parties, because people didn’t know what to do. They’d panic and try to make you eight eggs and sort of lasagnes which just turned into huge slabs of concrete with something horrifying in between. There was no way of saying, can I just eat the vegetables?”
Joanna, who has been vegetarian since the late 1970s, often champions sustainable living and animal rights. Thankfully, the growing acceptance of vegetarianism has made life simpler for Joanna and others who follow plant-based diets, reports the Daily Record.
Despite it becoming more normal to accommodate a vegetarian, Joanna never forgets to express her gratitude for someone taking her diet into account. She said: “I like raw things very much, like salads and stuff. I’m so touched when anybody’s done anything vegetarian for me.”
There are roughly 6.1 million vegetarians in the UK as of 2025, according to Finder. This includes 5.2% who were already vegetarian (around 2.8 million people) and 6.3% who intend to follow a vegetarian diet this year, which would work out to an additional 3.4 million people.
Joanna is known for her preference for a vegetable-rich diet, often opting for small snacks and portions over large meals. In 2021, she credited her robust health to her vegetarian lifestyle, claiming she’s ‘never ill’, although she admitted that transitioning to veganism would be challenging.
At the time she said: “I’ve been a vegetarian for more than 40 years and I’m never ill. The diet I love best is: eat stuff, mostly vegetables, not too much. And exercise? I have a tall thin house and I run up and down the stairs a lot!”
Speaking on the Table Manners podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware, she said: “I suddenly thought I was not going to do this anymore. I am not going to eat meat or fish. No more, finished, gone. But I am not a vegan. That is the next step, but I love cheese.”
The benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle are numerous, including a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. It can also aid in weight management and promote healthy skin.
Research has linked a higher intake of vegetables to improved skin health, thanks to plant chemicals called polyphenols and skin-supportive nutrients like vitamins C and E. Studies suggest that a predominantly plant-based diet may be healthier, with fewer reported cases of obesity. It could lead to significantly greater weight loss for those looking to shed pounds (depending on your starting point).
Key points about vegetarianism and illness:
A vegetarian diet can significantly reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, according to studies. These diets are often associated with lower rates of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, leading to improved overall health and a reduced likelihood of serious health problems.
Vegetarian meals are typically rich in fibre, which is beneficial for digestive health and supports a robust immune system. Furthermore, the variety of fruits and vegetables included in a vegetarian diet are packed with antioxidants that help protect cells from damage.
While being a vegetarian can greatly decrease your chances of developing chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, it doesn’t make you entirely immune to illness. It’s crucial to maintain a balanced vegetarian diet to ensure you receive all the necessary nutrients and keep your immune system strong.