Absolutely Fabulous has stormed the box office with the biggest opening weekend for a British film this year.

The movie, starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley, took £4.042 million in its opening week.

June Whitfield, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha and Jane Horrocks at the Absolutely Fabulous premiereJune Whitfield, Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Julia Sawalha and Jane Horrocks at the Absolutely Fabulous premiere (Ian West/PA)

The last British film to take this much at the box office in its opening weekend was in October 2015 when Bond movie Spectre took £6.3 million on its opening day alone.

Jennifer and Joanna have returned as Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone for the big-screen version of the classic sitcom, with celebrity cameos including Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and Tinie Tempah.

Edina and Patsy’s adventures have trumped other recent British films including the new Dad’s Army movie and Eddie The Eagle.

Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders starring in Absolutely Fabulous in 2001Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders starring in Absolutely Fabulous in 2001 (BBC)

Cameron Saunders, UK managing director of Twentieth Century Fox, said: “We are thrilled that audiences have embraced Edina and Patsy’s big screen debut – it is a testament to Jennifer, Joanna and the talented team behind the film who really are absolutely fabulous.”

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, which was released on July 1, sees Edina and Patsy in trouble when they accidentally push Kate into the Thames. They flee to the French Riviera to get away from the paparazzi.

Reviews have been mixed, with critics complaining of “tired jokes” and too many celebrity cameos. Others have praised the film for “cheering up” film fans.

Absolutely FabulousAbsolutely Fabulous (YouTube/Fox Searchlight)

At the European premiere of the long-awaited movie in London’s Leicester Square, Jennifer said they had decided to make a film after 25 years “because we just fancied it”.

Joanna added: “We were sitting together and said ‘where would we like to go?’ and said the south of France and that’s what started the whole thing off.”

She said killing off Kate Moss was Saunders’ idea, and joked: “She’s got a savage nature.”