The funniest comedy on British TV is back. Its stars talk about scruffiness, mortifying encounters with the public and why they\u2019ve loved each other for two decades<\/p>\n
In a north London TV studio, there\u2019s a sense of unpredictability in the air. A gaggle of singing teenagers are on set; there\u2019s a dog traipsing around; and \u2013 just down the hall in the canteen \u2013 Joanna Lumley has paused our interview to very politely ask a catering lady not to pack up her tangerine for her. \u201cDarling, I literally cry with gratitude but I don\u2019t need it in a box this time, it can travel on its own,\u201d she purrs. She\u2019s as poised as you might imagine \u2013 even if she looks ready for an arctic expedition, wrapped in a big mustard puffer jacket against the December cold. \u201cSorry, I\u2019ve gone off on a tangent.\u201d<\/p>\n
We\u2019re talking about Amandaland, the funniest and biggest comedy on British TV. Masterminded by the crack team of Sharon Horgan, Barunka O\u2019Shaughnessy, Helen Serafinowicz, Laurence Rickard and Holly Walsh, this spin-off of the Bafta-winning Motherland has shifted the focus from perma-stressed Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) to pretentious side character Amanda (Lucy Punch) and her mother, Felicity, played by Lumley. The show has been an undeniable hit, with the Christmas special \u2013 an Absolutely Fabulous reunion set at Aunt Joan\u2019s (Jennifer Saunders) decrepit country pile \u2013 the most-watched comedy over 2025\u2019s festive season, with 7.4 million viewers.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/d7edd3e1a2c67e0eb23d92420987bb36b0970172\/0_546_5312_4246\/master\/5312.jpg?width=140&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=adad1a61a19519c8eb04638feec23fe4\" "\\"\u2018Everyone")
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