Amanadaland revolves around Lucy Punch's character

The BBC is making a spin-off from Motherland, revolving around Lucy Punch's character Amanda.

Joanna Lumley will also reprise her role as Amanda’s brutal mother Felicity for the six half-hour episodes, with Philippa Dunne returning as the put-upon Anne.

Diane Morgan hinted at the project in an interview in March, saying that Motherland would be ending after three series but ‘it’ll live on through her [Amanda]. The ladies with the prams will be pleased, hopefully.’

Now the BBC has confirmed reported that the series – to be called Amandaland – has been given the green light. 

It will be written by the Motherland team of Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz and Barunka O'Shaughnessy, directed by Simon Bird, and made by Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s production company Merman.

Horgan said: ‘Motherland took off in a way that none of us were expecting and it's just so exciting that we get to continue to make this next chapter of parenthood and friendship. We have new parents, a new school and new problems to look forward to. We can't wait to get going on it.’

Mountford added: 'We’re delighted to be bringing Amandaland to the BBC and to share the next chapter of Amanda’s story. Viewers are in for a treat! It’s been so rewarding seeing how the complexity of Amanda’s character has developed; the relationship with her mother, life as a single parent and her fledgling career. It’s a joy to be working with such incredible comedy talent such as Lucy, Joanna and Phillipa once more.'

The premise of the new series, Amanda has had to downsize and up sticks to the less chichi London area of South Harlesden. 

With her children Manus and Georgie now at secondary school, Amanda has to try to get her head around raising teenagers, dealing with modern motherhood horrors like teenage drinking, fake Instagram accounts and eco anxiety.

Felicity is constantly around, and completely in denial that she is, in fact, lonely, while Anne is sucked back into being Amanda’s minion to help her navigate the social scene with the other parents at the children’s new school.  

Tanya Qureshi, head of comedy at the BBC says: ‘Motherland continues to be one of the most loved comedies on the BBC, and we’re so pleased we are carrying on with the story, taking the characters in a new direction and to a different postcode. Lucy, Joanna and Phillipa are three of the funniest comedy actors around and we’re thrilled to have them on board.’

Full casting will be annoucned later so it is not yet clear whether any of the other original cast members –  Anna Maxwell Martin, Paul Ready and Tanya Moodie – will reprise their roles.

Published: 18 May 2024