BBC Amandaland secures huge Christmas special before first episode even airs

BBC bosses judge that Amandaland – a spin-off from Motherland volition beryllium truthful palmy that a Christmas Special has already been ordered for fans

Motherland’s uptight alpha mum Amanda is backmost contiguous with her ain spin-off series.

BBC bosses are truthful convinced that Amandaland is going to beryllium a immense deed that person ordered a festive peculiar earlier it has adjacent aired. The bid stars Lucy Punch as recently divorced Amanda, who has been forced to permission leafy Chiswick for a level successful grittier South Harlesden – which she calls SoHa.

She is joined by her disapproving parent Felicity, played by Joanna Lumley, positive chap Motherland mum Anne (Phillipa Dunne), her long-suffering “friend” who has besides moved to the country with her teens. Motherland fans volition retrieve Amanda arsenic a wannabe influencer and shallow person of the mum’s radical joined by pb quality Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin).

Lucy said portion she was rather antithetic to Amanda, she does person her trait of eternal optimism. “Amanda has this benignant of teenage hopefulness bordering connected delusion that I share,” she explained. “I don’t think, successful each my years, I’ve ever had an audition for a job, immoderate it is, that I haven’t been convinced I was going to get.

“And adjacent erstwhile I’ve done a unspeakable audition, oregon they’re conscionable not interested, I particulate myself disconnected and past go, ‘Get maine astatine the adjacent one.’” Joanna said she was delighted to reprise what was a insignificant relation successful Bafta-winning Motherland. She said: “This was magic to beryllium portion of, to beryllium successful each episode. I deliberation [Felicity is] truthful selfish and self-regarding. I conscionable adore her.”

She said she is lone offered roles arsenic baddies these days. “It’s written into my declaration present – I indispensable beryllium mean,” she said. “I’m ever formed arsenic horrid, savage aged grannies and mothers, and wizened, cruel aunts. I don’t cognize why, due to the fact that I’m a sunny character.”

In the caller series, Amanda finds romance with Johannes, a South African spot developer played by Peter Serafinowicz, but fans volition besides announcement she has chemistry with her dishy downstairs neighbour Mal (Samuel Anderson). Writer Holly Walsh said: “I deliberation there’s a benignant of bully small simmering happening going connected with Mal. They person a benignant of Sam and Diane happening going connected from Cheers, wherever they hatred each different but there’s somewhat thing underneath that.”

Felicity remains dismayed with however her daughter’s beingness is going. “She’s evidently not arsenic I would person hoped,” Joanna said. “It started disconnected each right. She joined idiosyncratic who had a spot of wealth and lived successful the close place. But now, we’re reduced to, what is it, Aldi oregon something? Everything’s sad, and small, and shrunken.”

Insiders are predicting a Christmas Day special, aft an aboriginal screening of the caller bid had the assemblage successful stitches. Asked if determination would beryllium a festive special, Holly beamed portion admitting: “I’m not allowed to say.” She added that if determination was one, Amanda would “probably person 3 Christmas trees”.

But insiders revealed that a Christmas peculiar is precise overmuch successful the pipeline, hinting it had already been filmed. One said: “Amandaland is truthful funny, this could beryllium the caller jewel successful the crown of the Christmas schedule. Everyone is thrilled. But it’s apical secret.”

• Amandaland starts connected BBC1 and iPlayer astatine 9pm tonight.

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