Church minister who gave thanksgiving service for the Queen starred in Absolutely Fabulous
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Revealed: Church clergyman who held the Queen’s first official thanksgiving service starred in the 1990s television comedy hit Absolutely Fabulous
- Rev Calum MacLeod played pastor to accompany Saffy’s wedding in a comedy show
- Jennifer Saunders’ character’s daughter had a doomed service in AbFab
- On September 13, Mr MacLeod, 53, led the Thanksgiving service in Edinburgh
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Fans of the TV comedy series Absolutely Fabulous could be forgiven if they thought there was something a little known about the church pastor who held the first official thanksgiving service for the Queen.
Because in the 1990s, Rev Calum MacLeod had a cameo role, playing a vicar serving at the doomed wedding of Saffy, the daughter of Jennifer Saunders’ character in the beloved show.
Mrs Saunders, the creator of AbFab, had seen MacLeod, then a young assistant minister at St Columba’s Church in Knightsbridge, west London, as she scouted possible filming locations.
In the 1990s, Rev Calum MacLeod had a cameo role, playing a vicar serving at the doomed wedding of Saffy, the daughter of Jennifer Saunders’ character in the beloved show.
On September 13, Mr MacLeod, 53, conducted the Thanksgiving Service for the Life of the Queen at Edinburgh’s St Giles’ Cathedral
After walking into the church where he was leading a Sunday School class, she was charmed by Mr MacLeod’s brogue of Glasgow and invited him to appear on the show, which also featured Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha and Jane Horrocks. He appeared on screen when guests were drinking champagne on arrival at the church and admonished them with the words, “There should be no alcohol in the church.”
On September 13, Mr MacLeod, 53, led the Thanksgiving for the Life of the Queen at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
He said the experience was nerve-wracking, but also “gripping, meaningful and a great honor.”
Born in Glasgow, he worked as a pastor in Chicago for several years before returning to Scotland.
The Glasgow Rangers football fan is married to a lawyer and enjoys sailing off the west coast of Scotland.