Amandaland Christmas special with Saunders, series 2 in 2026

The BBC has confirmed a Christmas special for Amandaland, the Motherland spinoff starring Lucy Punch, and announced that a second series is in production and scheduled to debut on iPlayer and BBC One in 2026. The festive episode will feature Jennifer Saunders in a guest role as Joan, the sister of Joanna Lumley’s Felicity, marking the first scripted on‑screen reunion of Saunders and Lumley since the 2016 Absolutely Fabulous film.

Amandaland premiered earlier this year with Punch reprising Amanda, a woman who, following a divorce, has downsized and moved with her children to South Harlesden, nicknamed SoHa. The six-episode first series also stars Philippa Dunne as Amanda’s long-suffering friend Anne and includes Lumley in a recurring role as Amanda’s imperious mother, Felicity. Filming on series two has already begun, and the BBC said broadcast details for the Christmas special and the 2026 run will be confirmed in due course.

Creators and production staff framed Saunders’s casting as a notable addition. Co-creators Holly Walsh and Laurence Rickard said they were excited to be back in SoHa and welcomed Saunders as a “perfect addition” to the cast after months of research and...