Ab Fab reunion as work starts on a Christmas special

Ab Fab stars Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders are to reunite in a special Christmas episode of Amandaland.

Saunders will be making a guest appearance as Joan, the sister of Lumley’s character Felicity , who is described as a ‘ball of country-living, enthusiastic upper-class bluster’ in contrast to her snobby sibling. 

Saunders said: ‘I am delighted to be joining the fabulous Amandaland gang for a Christmas special. Playing Joanna’s on-screen sister is guaranteed to be a laugh, who doesn’t love a family reunion SoHa style!’

SoHa is what Lucy Punch’s central character Amanda calls the West London district of South Harlesden in an attempt make it sound more glamorous.

As filming on the Christmas special gets under way, Punch, above, said: ‘I’m beyond excited to get started on Amandaland series two with our brilliantly talented lovely cast. The Christmas special is going to be an absolute cracker – it’s like totes fire, with all the festive feels, for reals.’

Amandaland series one has averaged 5.7 million viewers per episodes, with 7.4 million for episodes one, making it the BBC’s second-biggest new comedy launch in recent years, behind Ludwig, whose first episode has had 11.4million viewers so far.

Lumley first let slip the news of an Amandaland festive special earlier this month when she told Chris Evans on his show that the sitcom had been a ‘gorgeous wild success. Clever, clever Lucy Punch’.

‘We're just about to start seven more episodes and one is a Christmas special for this year,’ she added. 

The Amandaland Christmas special – which will also star regular Philippa Dunne –  is Lumley and Saunders’  first on-screen acting reunion since the Absolutely Fabulous movie in 2016. Although they did appear in Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out for UKTV last year, top picture.

In a statement this afternoon, series two writers Holly Walsh and Laurence Rickard – from Ghosts – said: ‘It’s an absolute joy to be back in SoHa again. 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. 

‘We're thrilled to bits to have a Christmas special and Jennifer Saunders is the perfect addition to the gang.’

Walsh created  Amandaland  as a spin-off to Motherland with  Sharon Horgan, Helen Serafinowicz  and Barunka O'Shaughnessy. It is produced by Arnold Widdowson.

Published: 21 Oct 2025