Amandaland, a spin-off from acclaimed sitcom Motherland, sees snooty alpha mum Amanda take centre stage.
The six-part show follows the pretentious mother-of-two, played by Lucy Punch, as she faces a huge change in status when she moves to a new area because she has been forced to downsize after her divorce.
But she also has to deal with teenage crises, because her children Manus (Alexander Shaw) and Georgie (Miley Locke) are now at secondary school, while her catty mum Felicity (Joanna Lumley) is making increasing demands on her time. Luckily, she soon reconnects with her loyal sidekick Anne (Philippa Dunne), who tries to assist Amanda as she battles to reign supreme at the school gates once again.
Here, Lucy Punch and Philippa Dunne reveal more about Amandaland…
Amandaland gives a fresh take on some of the Motherland characters. How did you feel when you heard there was going to be a spin-off?
Lucy Punch: “I was excited, surprised and intrigued about where it could go and how it could maintain the tone of Motherland, while doing something new. It feels like the same world. But it’s about figuring out who Amanda is now.”
Philippa Dunne: “It’s great! I’ve always enjoyed working with Lucy, so I jumped at the chance to do so again and I love Amanda and Anne's relationship. There are different twists and we’ve built a new dynamic but it’s the same humour and it's written by the same people.”
Where do we find Amanda?
Lucy Punch: “She’s starting over and has probably had a meltdown but has now galvanised herself and is bringing her full Amanda energy to whip up a storm! She’s trying to recreate what she had, which is impossible without the house, clothes or husband. But she’s doing her best!”
Are we seeing more of her vulnerability though?
Lucy Punch: “Absolutely. Even in Motherland, we saw that behind the perfect façade was a damaged woman. Now, we see her scrambling, because she’s a good mother, but it’s hard raising teenagers alone, working, and navigating a new place, and she’s lonely. But Amanda’s enormous ego makes her life harder!”
Philippa Dunne: "There's lot of smoke and mirrors. I think Amanda is a master of her own PR agency, and she will try and convince everyone that everything's fantastic as per usual, but she's been knocked down a peg or two from where she thinks she should be, and she struggles. This is a new challenge and things are mounting on top of her, so she needs Anne now more than ever."
And what’s Anne up to?
Philippa Dunne: “Anne’s been living her best life instead of running around after Amanda. But when they meet up again, they're back to square one with Anne fawning over her! It's so difficult for her not to hero worship Amanda. If Amanda wants something, Anne’ll help her get it and pick up the pieces when things don't go right. Sometimes it goes really well. Sometimes it doesn’t! But Anne's an enthusiastic soul, she likes rolling up the old sleeves and getting stuck in."
Lucy Punch: “Yes, Amanda flourishes with Anne around. Now Anne’s her lifeline, helping her navigate this new world. Anne’s probably the only person who’s ever loved Amanda unconditionally.”
Tell us about the new cast, including Samuel Anderson (Doctor Who) as Amanda’s no-nonsense neighbour Mal, Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) as chef and fellow schoolmum Della, and Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty) as Della’s wife Fi…
Philippa Dunne: “The new cast are really great. They bring some really lovely touches. I've worked with Siobhán before [on Derry Girls], and she’s fantastic, there’s always something wacky going on with Della and Fi and I like the dynamic that Anne and Della have, because they don't always see eye to eye. And Mal is a nice, decent guy but he has no fear of standing up to Amanda, she meets her match!”
Lucy Punch: “Mal lives beneath Amanda and even if you can’t stand someone, that proximity creates a bond. Siobhán and Rochenda are a brilliant double act. And later, we’ve got Johannes [Amanda’s South African boyfriend played by The Tick’s Peter Serafinowicz], who’s hilarious.”
And what’s it like having Joanna Lumley back as Felicity?
Lucy Punch: “Amanda’s in Anne’s position when it comes to her relationship with her mother. She admires her, but it’s a complicated, deeply buried love.
Philippa Dunne: “But Joanna’s brilliant, she knows everyone's lines and is a lovely person. I spend a lot of time just looking at her, trying not to stare. She’s absolutely fabulous – sorry!”
Amandaland airs on BBC One from Wednesday 5 February at 9pm. All six episodes are available as a box-set from the same date on BBC iPlayer.
