Aunt Spiker

Aunt Spiker is James' aunt, Sponge's sister, and one of the main antagonists of the film. It is unknown whether Spiker and Sponge are the sisters of James' father or mother, or possibly his great-aunts since the book's illustrations depict them to be elderly. She is played by Joanna Lumley in the movie.

History
A dominating, cruel, malicious, and thoroughly repulsive lady, who derives a sadistic pleasure in manipulating and tormenting young James, who she sees as nothing more than a slave. Spiker is described as tall and thin - almost emaciated - with steel glasses (which she doesn't have in film). Both she and her sister Sponge are vain, each singing praises of their imagined beauty while they are in fact repulsive, but each attacks the other's repulsiveness. James never hears either aunt laugh out loud during his three years with them. She meets her end when she is crushed to death as the giant peach rolls over her. In the 1996 film, she and Sponge survive being crushed by the peach and pursue James to New York. However, James finally stands up to them and ties them up with the Spider's thread. The police then take them away.