Sharon Horgan has teased a ‘new season’ of Motherland two years after the beloved show’s shock axe.
The BBC comedy which documented the highs and lows of modern middle-class parenting, ran for three series, including two Christmas specials and last aired in December 2022.
But earlier this year it was announced that a spin-off focused on Lucy Punch’s character the pretentious – and newly-divorced – Amanda is in the works, with Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne also starring.
Writer Sharon has given an insight into what it was like working with legendary actress Joanna and hinted that fans of the series could see it return after all.
Speaking to Jessie and Lennie Ware on the Table Manners podcast, she explained: ‘Joanna is the best. She’s just so, so beautiful.
‘She plays Amanda’s mum — so it’s her, Amanda and Anne and then this whole new cast. I’m so excited for people to see it.’
Sharon Horgan has teased a ‘new season’ of Motherland two years after the beloved show’s shock axe
The BBC comedy which documented the highs and lows of modern middle-class parenting last aired in December 2022 but a spin-off show, Amandaland, is currently in the works (Philippa Dunne, Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley L-R)
Adding of Motherland, Sharon continued: ‘I’m not in the season, but maybe if we do another season because it’s so much fun. We’ve jumped on a few years so now it’s [about having] teenagers.’
In February, Diane Morgan, one of the shows leading women who plays single mother Liz, revealed that the critically-acclaimed and hugely popular comedy would not return.
The actress told RadioTimes: ‘I hate to say it because I still get women running up to me with prams in the street asking me when it’s coming back.’
However, she did drop hints that a spin-off featuring Lucy Punch’s character Amanda is in the works.
The spin-off focused on the pretentious – and newly-divorced – Amanda will hit screens later this year.
Post her divorce, Amanda has had to downsize and up sticks to South Harlesden, or as the Estate Agent calls it SoHa (definitely not the area around Wormwood Scrubs prison).
With both Manus and Georgie now at secondary school, Amanda has to try and get her head around raising teenagers, dealing with modern motherhood horrors like teenage drinking, fake Instagram accounts and eco anxiety.
But not even a woman as certain of her parenting as Amanda can deal with these nightmares alone.
Speaking to Jessie and Lennie Ware on the Table Manners podcast, she explained: ‘I’m not in the season, but maybe if we do another season because it’s so much fun’
Then there’s Amanda’s mother Felicity (Joanna Lumley) who is constantly around, and completely in denial that she is, in fact, lonely.
Theirs is a slightly unhealthy co-dependent relationship based on backhanded compliments and veiled snipes about her new home.
After a brief spell of freedom, Anne (Philippa Dunne) is sucked back into being Amanda’s minion to help her navigate the social scene with the other parents at the children’s new school.
The series is expected to air on the BBC later this year, with further casting to be announced in due course.
Tanya Qureshi, Head of Comedy at the BBC says: ‘Motherland continues to be one of the most loved comedies on the BBC, and we’re so pleased we are carrying on with the story, taking the characters in a new direction and to a different postcode.
‘Lucy, Joanna and Phillipa are three of the funniest comedy actors around and we’re thrilled to have them on board.’
Sharon Horgan, Co-Founder of Merman says: ‘We’re delighted to be working with the BBC and with this incredible cast.
‘Motherland took off in a way that none of us were expecting and it’s just so exciting that we get to continue to make this next chapter of parenthood and friendship.
‘We have new parents, a new school and new problems to look forward to. We can’t wait to get going on it’.
The spin-off focused on the pretentious – and newly-divorced – Amanda will hit screens later this year
Motherland documented the highs and lows of modern middle-class parenting, and ran for three series, including two Christmas specials (Diane Morgan is pictured)
Clelia Mountford, Co-Founder of Merman says: ‘We’re delighted to be bringing Amandaland to the BBC and to share the next chapter of Amanda’s story.
‘Viewers are in for a treat! It’s been so rewarding seeing how the complexity of Amanda’s character has developed; the relationship with her mother, life as a single parent and her fledgling career.
‘It’s a joy to be working with such incredible comedy talent such as Lucy, Joanna and Phillipa once more.’
Agapy Kapouranis, Lionsgate President of International Television & Digital Distribution says: ‘BBC is the perfect home for the return of these beloved characters, and we are pleased to re-team with Merman to bring Amandaland to both fans of the original series and new audiences.’
Motherland documented the highs and lows of modern middle-class parenting, and ran for three series, including two Christmas specials.
The show was created by Sharon Horgan, Graham Linehan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh and also starred Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready and Tanya Moodie.
