TV SERIES · 2016–2019 · UK
Fleabag
- Created by
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Network
- BBC Three, BBC One
- Seasons
- 2
- Episodes
- 12
- Studio
- Two Brothers Pictures
59 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
A portrait into the mind of a dry-witted, sexual, angry, porn-watching, grief-riddled woman, trying to make sense of the world. As she hurls herself headlong at modern living, Fleabag is thrown roughly up against the walls of contemporary London, with all its frenetic energy, late nights, and bright lights.
59 Interesting Facts About Fleabag
Interesting Facts (20)
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One of many collaborations between Olivia Colman and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. They met on the set of The Iron Lady (2011) and performed together again in Noël Coward's stage play Hay Fever, and in the second series of Broadchurch (2013). After this, Waller-Bridge wrote the part of Godmother with Colman in mind.
- #003
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Contains a major spoiler — show
Claire and Martin are the only members of Fleabag's immediate family whose names are spoken in scene. Fleabag, her Dad and her Godmother are never addressed by their names on screen. Several prominent supporting characters, including the Bank Manager and the Priest are also never named on screen.
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Claire and Martin are the only members of Fleabag's immediate family whose names are spoken on screen. Fleabag, her father and her godmother are never addressed by name on screen. Many other important supporting characters, including the Bank Manager and the Priest, are also never named on screen.
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- #014
It is one of several collaborations between Olivia Colman and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. They met on the set of The Iron Lady (2011) and appeared together again in Noël Coward's play Hay Fever and in the second series of Broadchurch (2013). After that, Waller-Bridge wrote the role of the Godmother with Colman in mind.
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Production Story (25)
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- #022
This is one of many collaborations between Olivia Colman and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. They met on the set of The Iron Lady (2011) and performed together again in Noël Coward's stage play Hay Fever and in the second series of Broadchurch (2013). After this, Waller-Bridge wrote the part of Godmother with Colman in mind.
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In December 2019, former US President Barack Obama included the second season of "Fleabag" in his annual list of favorite books, films and music of the year (as a subsection under films, of "TV shows that I considered as powerful as movies"). In the first season, in the series' pilot episode, President Obama had a rather memorable, funny and inappropriate cameo: Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) watches archive footage of one of his speeches on her laptop, which inspires her to have a "private moment" with herself, causing her boyfriend Harry to storm out of the house. When "Fleabag" won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy or Musical Series, Phoebe Waller-Bridge mentioned Obama in her acceptance speech: "Personally, I'd also like to thank Obama for putting us on his list. As some of you know, he's always been on mine. And if you didn't get that joke, please watch the first season of 'Fleabag' really, really quickly."
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- #032
Claire and Martin are the only characters from Fleabag's immediate family whose names are spoken on screen. Fleabag, her father and her godmother are never referred to by name on screen. The names of important supporting characters such as the Bank Manager and the Priest are also never spoken.
- #033
- #034
It is one of the many collaborations between Olivia Colman and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. They met on the set of The Iron Lady (2011) and appeared together in Noël Coward's play Hay Fever and in the second season of Broadchurch (2013). Waller-Bridge wrote the role of the godmother with Colman in mind.
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- #040
In December 2019, former US President Barack Obama also included season 2 of 'Fleabag' in his annual list of favorite books, films and music (under the films category, with the heading 'series I found as powerful as films'). The pilot episode of the series' first season featured a memorable, funny and inappropriate cameo by Obama: Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) watches archive footage of an Obama speech on her laptop, which drives her to have a 'special moment', causing her boyfriend Harry to storm out of the flat. When 'Fleabag' won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy or Musical Series, Phoebe Waller-Bridge thanked Obama in her acceptance speech: 'Personally, I'd also like to thank Obama for putting us on his list. As some of you know, he has always been on mine. If you didn't get that joke, please watch season 1 of 'Fleabag' really quickly.'
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Fox symbolism in the series: This animal teaches how the mind reacts when trying to escape a difficult situation. The fox tells you to avoid the illusions of the past before moving forward and to adapt to a new adventure. The Priest also believed he was cursed by foxes. There were two fox scenes: one in which the Priest tells Fleabag that they cannot have sex, and the other in the final scene where he leaves her. One of the symbolic meanings attributed to the fox is the power to hear supernatural voices. The Priest was the only character who noticed that Fleabag breaks the fourth wall.
Characters & Cast (1)
Easter Eggs & References (2)
Deeper Meaning (3)
- #049
Contains a major spoiler — show
The symbolism of the fox in the series: This animal teaches you how the mind reacts when trying to escape a difficult situation in life. This creature says, before moving forward, avoid the illusions of the past, adapt yourself to a new adventure. The Priest also thought that he was cursed by foxes. There were two fox scenes: one when the Priest told Fleabag they cannot have sex, and the other in the last scene, when he left her. One of the symbolic meanings ascribed to the fox is the power to hear transcendental sounds. The Priest was the only character to ever notice when Fleabag breaks the fourth wall.
- #050
- #051
Contains a major spoiler — show
The symbolism of the fox in series; This animal teaches you how the mind reacts when trying to escape a difficult situation in life. This creature says, before moving forward, avoid the illusions of the past, adapt yourself to a new adventure. - The priest also thought that he was cursed by foxes. And there were 2 fox scenes, once that the Priest told Fleabag they cannot have sex, and the other was the last scene, when he left her - One of the symbolic meanings ascribed to the fox is the power to hear transcendental sounds. - The Priest was the only character to ever notice when Fleabag breaks the fourth wall -
Career & Awards (8)
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Contains a major spoiler — show
In December 2019, former U.S. President Barack Obama included "Fleabag" season 2 on his annual list of his favorite books, movies, and music of the year (as a subsection, under films, of "TV shows that I considered as powerful as movies"). During the first season, in the show's pilot episode, President Obama actually had a highly memorable, comic, and inappropriate cameo: Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) watches archive footage of one of his speeches on her laptop, which inspires her to have a "private moment" with herself, which in turn causes her boyfriend Harry to storm out of the apartment. When "Fleabag" won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy or Musical Series, Phoebe Waller-Bridge mentioned Obama in her acceptance speech: "Personally, I'd like to also thank Obama for putting us on his list. As some of you may know, he's always been on mine. And if you don't get that joke, please watch season one of 'Fleabag' really, really quickly."
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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