Profile: Dame Edna Everage, Australia's most famous housewife

Dame Edna Everage is one of entertainment's most colourful characters. Having stepped into the public spotlight in the 1950s as a dowdy Melbourne housewife, her popularity soared, turning her into a flamboyant 'gigastar'.

She is known for her outlandish outfits, her wit and her derision of the cult of celebrity, but she is soon to leave the stage - her forthcoming tour of the UK will be her last.

Rosie Goldsmith charts her career, speaking to friends and acquaintances - including her 'manager' Barry Humphries, Kathy Lette and Dame Joan Bakewell - for Radio 4's Profile.

This edition of Profile was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday, 24 March 2012 at 19:00 BST. Listen again and explore the Profile archive via the website or by downloading the Profile podcast.