BBC fans already obsessed by spin-off of ‘excellent’ comedy launching in days

TV viewers are already ‘obsessed’ with a spin-off comedy series that hasn’t even started yet – the new BBC sitcom Amandaland.

The six-part series, which will be available on BBC iPlayer from February 5, onwards, is a spin-off from Sharon Horgan’s comedy Motherland.

Motherland, which started in 2016 and was also written by Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh, starred Anna Maxwell Martin and Diane Morgan.

It followed Anna’s character Julia as she balanced raising her children with being a working mum, meeting lots of other parents along the way – the show came to an end with a 2022 Christmas special.

Motherland was acclaimed throughout its run, winning a Bafta in 2022, and was called a ‘masterpiece’ by fans for finding funny ways to depict motherhood in an honest and frank way.

The spin-off will follow Lucy Punch’s character Amanda, who is the de-facto ‘leader’ of the group of mums that get to know Julia at the start of the series.

Amandaland sees Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley back together again (Picture: BBC)

Amandaland picks up some time after the end of Motherland (Picture: BBC/YouTube)

Punch, 47, will star alongside the esteemed likes of Absolutely Fabulous’ Joanna Lumley, 78, and Derry Girls star Siobhan McSweeney, 45.

Lumley starred as Amanda’s mum Felicity in the third and final season of Motherland, and appeared again in the Christmas special finale in 2022.

Amandaland will follow Amanda after a recent divorce as she attempts to bring up her teenagers after downsizing and moving to north-west London.

‘This looks so good. I’m so happy. I couldn’t let Motherland go(Picture: BBC/Merman)

Lucy Punch is ready to continue Amanda’s story (Picture: Ian West/PA Wire)

Amanda’s two children Manus and Georgie are now teenagers in the new series, which was filmed around Islington and Muswell Hill in 2024.

Philippa Dunne, who played in Anna in the original series, will also reprise her role, having been involved with Motherland since its very first season.

A trailer was dropped by the BBC on Thursday, which showed Amanda getting into various hijinks as she makes new friends and tries to form new interests in her new home.

McSweeney’s character, watching Amanda off-camera, describes the titular character’s attempts to socialise as being ‘like watching a car crash in slow motion’.

The trailer already has fans hooked, with @OfficialPreciousKing saying: ‘I’m obsessed! This looks so good. I’m so happy. I couldn’t let Motherland go – it’s such an amazing world.’

The series also stars Siobhan McSweeney and Philippa Dunne (Picture: BBC/Merman/Natalie Seery)

On X, @Summerteeth said they were ‘looking forward’ to the new series, while @SwallyDoonCally commented: ‘Loved Motherland and have high hopes for this.’

While @DanThatDan said he ‘truly need[ed] Julia, Kevin and Liz,’ he was still ‘so happy’ that he’d be getting to spend more time with at least some of the Motherland cast.

@FistOfFiori kept is simple, saying that ‘Motherland was excellent’ and that they were ‘looking forward’ to the six upcoming Amandaland episodes.

Holly Walsh, one of the writers of Motherland, is helming the series alongside Helen Serafinowicz and new writers Barunka O’Shaughnessy and Laurence Rickard.

All six episodes have been directed by Simon Bird, who played Will McKenzie in The Inbetweeners and has since turned to TV and film production.

Amandaland airs Wednesday February 5 at 9pm on BBC One.

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