Amandaland Christmas special confirmed with Absolutely Fabulous reunion
Cheers to that, sweetie.
The BBC has officially announced that Motherland spin-off Amandaland will be returning for a Christmas special, starring Lucy Punch, Philippa Dunne and Dame Joanna Lumley.
Lumley first revealed the news at the beginning of October during an appearance on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio UK, but the BBC has now officially confirmed that the festive special is indeed happening.
And if that isn't fabulous enough for you, Lumley will be joined by her Absolutely Fabulous partner in crime Jennifer Saunders, who will play her on-screen sister Aunt Joan – described as "a ball of country-living, enthusiastic upper-class bluster [and] very, very different from Felicity".
It also marks the first time the pair have been reunited on screen since their Ab Fab days.
"I am delighted to be joining the fabulous Amandaland gang for a Christmas special," said Saunders, while writers Holly Walsh and Laurence Rickard called her "the perfect addition to the gang".
"Playing Joanna’s on-screen sister is guaranteed to be a laugh – who doesn't love a family reunion SoHa style?" added Saunders.
Punch went on to say that the Christmas special "is going to be an absolute cracker – it's like totes fire, with all the festive feels, for reals. Slay bells!"
And in further exciting news, production has begun on the show's second season, which was confirmed back in March following its strong ratings performance.
Its first episode attracted 7.4 million viewers, making it the BBC's second-biggest new comedy launch in recent years, behind Ludwig.
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"It's an absolute joy to be back in SoHa (South Harlesden) again," said Walsh and Rickard.
"After six months of researching Brent Council's fly-tipping rules, attempting Anne's Irish accent and writing the odd bit of script, we're so excited to get filming with our amazing cast."
The first season followed Punch's eponymous queen bee, who relocated to South Harlesden after her divorce – a move that brought plenty of challenges, including Amanda working in retail (the horror!) and narrowly avoiding what looked set to be another failed marriage following a whirlwind romance.
But could a new romance be on the cards with her neighbour Mal? And what else will drive Anne to the brink of a nervous breakdown?
Season 2 will arrive on the BBC in 2026.
Amandaland is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
