Amandaland: Who plays who in cast of Motherland spin-off as Lucy Punch reprises her role as Amanda
By Helen Fear | Mon Feb 03 2025Amandaland is a new BBC One comedy in which Lucy Punch reprises her role as Amanda, the hoity toity character she first played in the cast of Motherland...
This much-anticipated spin-off to the hugely successful comedy Motherland finally lands on our screens, three years after it ended in 2022.
Of course, fans of the original will know that the school-mum-comedy saw Amanda generally getting on the nerves of her frenemies Julia, Liz, and Kevin. But, although some of the old cast are back, it's predominantly a new bunch of characters.
So who plays who in the cast of Amandaland series 1 on BBC One? Here's everything you need to know...
Amandaland cast: Lucy Punch plays Amanda
London-born actress Lucy Punch, 47, reprises her role as overbearing Amanda, the character she first played in Motherland between 2016 and 2022.
She's been on our screens since 1998, when she appeared in one episode of The New Adventures of Robin Hood. She was 22 when she played Queen Stephanie.
Lucy went on to Sue White in the comedy Renford Rejects, Helen Foreman in Days Like These, Eveline in Let Them Eat Cake, and Sally Peep in The 10th Kingdom. In 1999, she portrayed Melissa in the sitcom Big Bad World, opposite Death in Paradise star Ardal O'Hanlon.
Subsequent roles included receptionist Elaine Denham in Doc Martin, Holly Ellenbogen in The Class, and BJ in Ben and Kate. In 2018, she first played Esmé Squalor in A Series of Unfortunate Events.
More recently, she portrayed boisterous ex-army member Jo in Sky comedy Bloods. Jo oversaw the paramedic team and acted as Incident Commander at complex scenes.
Other notable roles include Dawn Djopi in Avenue 5, and Fiona Holcomb in Animal Control. Lucy has been in multiple films including Ella Enchanted, Into the Woods, Hot Fuzz, and How to Build a Girl, where she portrayed poet Syvia Plath.
Anne is played by Philippa Dunne in Amandaland
Irish actress Philippa Dunne returns as Anne, the simpering character she first played in Motherland.
After a brief spell of freedom, poor Anne 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.
Irish actress Philippa previously played Carmel in The Walshes, Eunice Lordan in The School, and Mrs Haplisch in The Nevers.
In 2022, she portrayed Ria in the heartbreakingly brilliant This is Going to Hurt. But she's probably most famous - aside from Motherland - for playing Geraldine Devlin in Derry Girls.
More recently, she's portrayed Niamh in The Woman in the Wall, Lorna Dunnet in Bodies, Slake in the now axed The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Elena in Inside No. 9, and Margaret in The Cleaner.
Joanna Lumley stars as Felicity
Indian-born Joanna Lumley, 78, returns as Amanda's mother Felicity. She is constantly around, and completely in denial that she is, in fact, lonely. Theirs is a horribly unhealthy co-dependent relationship based on backhanded compliments and veiled snipes about Amanda's new home.
Of course, beloved actress Joanna is known for playing Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous, Purdey in The New Avengers, Sapphire and Sapphire & Steel, and Kate Swift in Class Act.
More recently, Joanna played Keeley Hawes' mum in Finding Alice, and mother-in-law from hell Judith Burkett in Harlan Coben thriller Fool Me Once.
Amandaland cast: Cavan Clerkin stars as Daniel
London-born Cavan Clerkin, 51, stars as Daniel. He's perhaps best known for his early comedic roles, including playing multiple characters in sketch show Smack the Pony, as well as Karl in Pulling, and Lead in Los Dos Bros.
In 2009, he played Joel in EastEnders, before going on to portray PC Damien 'Clarkey' Clarke in Babylon, and Vincent Mann in The Agency.
Between 2017 and 2022, Cavan starred as Father Pyrlig in Viking drama The Last Kingdom.
He went on to portrayed DS Patrick Flynn in the brilliant drama The Capture, opposite Strike actress Holliday Grainger. More recently, he played Commissioner Neil Millar in COBRA, Ian Fish in Silent Witness, and John in Stags.
Siobhán McSweeney stars as Della
Irish actress Siobhán McSweeney, 45, portrays school mum Della in the cast of Amandaland.
Derry Girls fans will know the actress from her role as Sister Michael, a role she played from 2018 to 2022.
She also starred as Mary McCurdy in the brilliant BBC thriller The Fall, and played Ruth Cheetham in the comedy No Offence.
Other notable roles include Petra in Collateral, Alice in Porters, Jane Connolly in Redemption, Aunt Oleander in Murdoch Mysteries, and Jennifer Langan in Death in Paradise.
In 2022, she portrayed Bríd Riordan in the cast of Holding, based on the bestsellng book by Graham Norton. She played mum-of-two, alcoholic, and possible murder suspect...
More recently, she portrayed Mary in the superpower comedy Extraordinary. She's also been in multiple films, including Extra Ordinary, Anthony, and The Electrical Life of Louis Wain.
Rochenda Sandall portrays Fi
Lincolnshire actress Rochenda Sandall, 36, stars as Fi in the cast of Amandaland.
Of course, she's probably best known for playing baddie Lisa McQueen in Line of Duty series 5.
The TV star has actually been on our screens since 2013, when she played PC Jenny Briggs in Doctors, and she went on to play a copper in several episodes of Coronation Street, too.
In 2017, she was cast as Jean Reid in Broken, opposite This City is Ours actor Sean Bean. That same year, she portrayed Anna in Love, Lies and Records.
Other notable roles include DS Anne Thurston in Girlfriends, Nadia in Into the Badlands, Carol in Moving On, and DC Vanessa Warren in Criminal: UK.
After playing Lucy in Deceit, opposite Playing Nice actress Niamh Algar, she went on portray Azure in Doctor Who.
More recently, she's starred as Bryana in Great Expectations, anxious mother and plane passenger Kate Miller in Hijack, and Cat Braithwaite in The Rig series 1 and 2.
Samuel Anderson plays Mal in the Amandaland cast
Birmingham-born actor Samuel Anderson, 42, joins the cast of Amandaland as Mal.
He's been on our screens for more than two decades, and is perhaps best known for playing Ross Kirk in Emmerdale between 2007 and 2009.
However, if you're a fan of Gavin & Stacey, you probably know him as 'Fingers'.
In 2014, Samuel starred as Danny Pink in Doctor Who, before going on to play Daniel in Trollied, and William in Another Life.
Other significant roles include Jason in Totally Frank, DC Vince Grady in DCI Banks, Leon in Loaded, and Patrick in Witless.
More recently, Samuel has played DC Paul Wilkie in Landscapers, Vinny Mason in Red Rose, Dan in Mammals, DCI Mackenzie in Chemistry of Death, and Samuel in Murder, They Hope.
Peter Serafinowicz portrays Johannes
Liverpool-born Peter Serafinowicz, 52, portrays Johannes in the cast of Amandaland on BBC One. His sister Helen Serafinowicz actually co-wrote the show.
Peter is probably best known as a comedian, who created and starred in the comedy shows Look Around You (2002–2005) and The Peter Serafinowicz Show (2007–2008).
He's also voiced multiple Spitting Image puppets, including Kenneth Clark, Eric Cantona, George Harrison, and Paul Gascoigne.
Other early roles include Dean Yardley in How Do You Want Me?, Duane Benzie in Spaced, Mark in Ted and Alice, and Kenny in Martin Freeman sitcom Hardware.
In 2010, Peter played it straight as DCI Torbin Cazenove in Whitechapel, before going on to portray Fa'ad Shaoulian in Running Wilde, and Ross in Mr Sloane. Other notable roles include Lord British in satirical The Britishes, Lord Edgar Covington in Parks and Recreation, The Tick in the series of the same name, and King Cragnoor in Miracle Workers.
Peter has also voiced dozens of animated characters, not least Darth Chef in South Park.
Who else is in the cast?
Actor Ekow Quartey plays JJ in Amandaland. He's known for playing James in This Way Up, Pedro in Becoming Elizabeth, and Steve in Trying.
Youngsters Alexander Shaw and Miley Locke star as Amanda's children Manus and Georgie. Child star Alexander previously played Agent Ozzie in Odd Squad, while Miley has played Rosie in There She Goes, and Sara Alice in The Royals.
Jack Veal plays Darius, and he's probably best known for playing Little James in The End of the F***ing World, Simon Brown in Tin Star, and Kid Loki in Loki.
Anya McKenna-Bruce stars as Morten. She's played Daisy in Suspicion, Izzy in Adult Material, and Lily in Cleaning Up, alongside The Castaways actress Sheridan Smith.
Newcomers Archie Smith and Anna Fey play Ned and another mum, while Holby City's Liz Sutherland-Lim stars as Joy.
Amandaland full cast list:
Lucy Punch reprises her role of Amanda.
Philippa Dunne stars as Anne.
Joanna Lumley is Felicity.
Samuel Anderson plays Mal.
Siobhan McSweeney portrays Della.
Rochenda Sandall is Fi.
Peter Serafinowicz portrays Johannes.
Cavan Clerkin stars as Daniel.
Ekow Quartey stars as JJ.
Alexander Shaw portrays Manus.
Miley Locke plays Georgie.
Jack Veal stars as Darius.
Anya McKenna-Bruce portrays Morten.
Archie Smith is Ned.
Anna Fey plays a mum.
Liz Sutherland-Lim portrays Joy.
