‘Everyone knows an Amanda’: Lucy Punch on the return of British comedy smash Amandaland

Key facts

• Amandaland is a spin-off of the Bafta-winning Motherland, created by Sharon Horgan, Barunka O’Shaughnessy, Helen Serafinowicz, Laurence Rickard and Holly Walsh.
• The Christmas special, featuring an Absolutely Fabulous reunion, was the most-watched comedy over the 2025 festive season with 7.4 million viewers.
• Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley first worked together in the 2004 film Ella Enchanted.
• Punch is Bafta-nominated for best actress in a comedy for the first series of Amandaland.
• The second series moves Amanda’s home from a location shoot to a TV studio set.
• Punch lives in the US with her partner, artist Dinos Chapman, and their two children.
• The show has been nominated for a Bafta in the comedy category, with three cast members nominated for best actress.

A comedy phenomenon returns

The funniest comedy on British television is back. Amandaland, the spin-off of the Bafta-winning Motherland, has returned for a second series on BBC One, bringing with it the same sharp writing and cringe-inducing social satire that made its predecessor a hit. The show follows Amanda Hughes (Lucy Punch), a pretentious and relentlessly ambitious mother who, after her move from Chiswick to south Harlesden, tries to rebrand the area as “SoHa” and claw her way up the social ladder. The series has been an undeniable success. The Christmas special, which featured an Absolutely Fabulous reunion set at Aunt Joan’s decrepit country pile, was the most-watched comedy over the 2025 festive season, drawing 7.4 million viewers. The show has also earned multiple Bafta nominations, including best comedy and best actress in a comedy for Punch, Philippa Dunne, and Jennifer Saunders.

The woman behind the monster

Lucy Punch, who has played Amanda for over a decade, says the character is not a caricature but a composite of many people she has encountered. “She’s lots of little pieces. There’s stuff that’s endearing, and stuff that’s horrific and obnoxious,” Punch told Radio Times. “She can’t just be one thing, otherwise she’d have no friends and not be able to function.” Punch acknowledges that she shares some of Amanda’s traits, particularly her hopefulness and ability to find the positive in a situation. But she insists she is far more self-aware and less pretentious. “I hope I’m a lot more self-aware, not as pretentious and snobby,” she said. Despite Amanda’s flaws, Punch finds her endearing: “She’s a hustler. She falls flat on her face and gets back up. She just wants a big life.”

A partnership two decades in the making

Central to the show’s appeal is the dynamic between Amanda and her mother Felicity, played by Joanna Lumley. The two actresses first worked together in the 2004 film Ella Enchanted, where they played the wicked stepmother and one of her daughters. Lumley recalls being struck by Punch’s talent: “She’s like an express train – you could shovel coal into her!” Punch describes Lumley as the “special sauce” of the show, noting that her co-stars Alex Shaw and Miley Locke, who play Amanda’s children, have developed their own in-jokes with Lumley. “They have some in-joke about 6-7? I’ve no idea what they’re talking about,” Punch said. The relationship between Amanda and Felicity is key to generating sympathy for an otherwise unlikable character, Punch explained. “I think seeing the dynamic with her mother, and why she is how she is, generates sympathy for an unlikable character.”

New challenges and bigger stakes

The second series finds Amanda navigating the challenges of parenting teenagers. Her children, Manus and Georgie, have moved from primary school to adolescence, dealing with exams, errant condoms, and the prospect of a high-school prom. “It’s about what it means to be a parent of teenagers and all of those challenges,” Punch said. “It’s fuel for funnier, bigger stories.” Amanda herself has declared herself a “v-cel” (voluntary celibate) after the end of her short-lived romance with businessman Johannes. Meanwhile, Felicity has become more clingy, joining a dating app and frequently ingratiating herself with Amanda’s social circle. “As everyone ages, your parents are obviously ageing and getting more vulnerable, too. You worry about them more, and that’s what Amanda is dealing with now,” Punch said. “This very fabulous, independent woman is now becoming more dependent on her, socially and emotionally.”

From London to California and back

Punch, who grew up in London as the only child of parents in marketing and advertising, now lives in California with her partner, artist Dinos Chapman, and their two children. Despite her success in the US, she admits she does not feel entirely at home there. “I don’t really feel very at home in the States,” she said. “I get back here and it feels like a relief. Occasionally, I’ll miss cultural references just because I’m not here enough, but I feel very British and connected to the people, the attitude, the sense of humour.” Filming Amandaland brings her back to the UK regularly, and she has embraced the opportunity to work on a hit British comedy. She says she has never been able to be selective about roles, but the show’s success may change that. “I’m currently in a very special, unexpected situation. I’ve never had an opportunity to be selective; I love what I do, but it’s how I make my living. Being in something that’s done well means maybe I can be a bit more choosy or specific about what will be next.”

The secret to the show’s success

Punch attributes the show’s rapid success to its writing, which originated on Motherland. “It’s a really tight script, the writing is specific to each of the characters and their voices are really clear,” she said. The actors rarely deviate from the script, as the jokes are “thick, fast and brilliant.” Looking ahead, Punch hopes the show will continue as long as audiences enjoy it, with each character evolving to feel more fleshed out. “We want to do this as long as people enjoy it; every character needs to feel fleshed out, so people can relate,” she said. For now, she is savouring the moment. “It felt special. I couldn’t have imagined 10 years later I’d be here, but that first script was incredible, as was the cast. And here we are.”

The bottom line

• Amandaland has become one of the most-watched comedies on British TV, with its Christmas special drawing 7.4 million viewers.
• Lucy Punch’s portrayal of Amanda has earned her a Bafta nomination, alongside co-stars Philippa Dunne and Jennifer Saunders.
• The show’s success is rooted in its sharp writing, which originated on Motherland, and the chemistry between Punch and Joanna Lumley.
• The second series explores new themes, including parenting teenagers and aging parents, adding depth to the characters.
• Punch, despite living in the US, feels a strong connection to British culture and humour, which she brings to her role.
• The show’s creators and cast are committed to evolving the characters to keep the series fresh and relatable.