Gavin & Stacey star makes huge career move as they join Motherland spin-off
The Amandaland cast has been unveiled, and a Gavin and Stacey star has joined the Motherland spin-off series, along with actors from Derry Girls and Line of Duty
Motherland spin-off series Amandaland is coming to TV screens next month, and a Gavin & Stacey star has been added to the cast list.
Samuel Anderson, who played Smithy’s and Gavin’s pal Fingers in series one and three of Gavin & Stacey, as well as in 2024’s final episode on Christmas Day, will star in Amandaland as Mal. Also joining the cast of the new comedy series are Siobhan McSweeney, who is best known for her role as Sister Michael in Derry Girls, Line of Duty’s Rochenda Sandall and actor and comedian Peter Serafinowicz.
Amandaland is a spin-off of the hugely successful BBC comedy series Motherland, and focuses on Amanda, played by Lucy Punch, as she navigates life post-divorce while raising her children in a new part of London. Joining her in the series are Motherland favourites Philippa Dunne as Anne, one of the few people who puts up with Amanda, and Joanna Lumley as Amanda’s judgemental mother, Felicity. However, Anna Maxwell Martin, who starred as Julia in Motherland, has confirmed she will not be appearing in the new series.
Tanya Qureshi, Head of Comedy at the BBC said: “We can’t wait for audiences to see Amanda’s new chapter, brought to life by such a talented cast and a wonderfully sharp set of characters. It’s going to be a real treat.”
The series is created by Bad Sisters star Sharon Horgan, along with fellow Motherland creators Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz and Barunka O'Shaughnessy. Sharon said: “I was genuinely sad having to say goodbye to Motherland. There's such a fondness for that show and those characters. So it was a real thrill to get to pick up the further adventures of Amanda and Anne, not to mention Felicity. Lucy, Phillipa and Joanna are top of their game in these roles and are joined by an incredibly funny and talented new cast. Can't wait to showcase the next challenges of parenthood and the very particular kind of friendship the school gates bring.”
The new series begins as Amanda downsizes from leafy Queen’s Park to South Harlesden in London, which the estate agent calls SoHa, possibly to detract from the fact that it’s close to Wormwood Scrubs Prison. Her two children, Manus and Georgie, are both at secondary school, so Amanda is now dealing with horrors such as teenage drinking, fake Instagram accounts and eco anxiety. And her mother, Felicity, is never far away, nor is old friend Anne, who has somehow been sucked back into Amanda’s universe to help her navigate the social scene at the children’s new school.
Fans were devastated when Motherland was cancelled after just three series. "Noooo. I love that show," one fan wrote on Twitter (X) when it was revealed in March 2024 that Motherland had been quietly axed. "Sobbing shaking crying screaming throwing up but also can you imagine an amanda spinoff. I need to see that tbh," another added, with a third writing: "WHAT?! This is easily the best BBC comedy in YEARS! Gutted."
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