Amandaland is set to host an Absolutely Fabulous reunion!
In the upcoming Christmas special, Jennifer Saunders will play Joan, the sister of Dame Joanna Lumley’s character Felicity and the aunt of Lucy Punch’s titular star, Amanda Hughes.
Joan is described by the BBC as “a ball of country-living, enthusiastic upper-class bluster – very, very different from Felicity.”
In a statement, Saunders said: “I am delighted to be joining the fabulous Amandaland gang for a Christmas special. Playing Joanna’s on-screen sister is guaranteed to be a laugh – who doesn’t love a family reunion SoHa style!”
Amandaland, a spin-off of the acclaimed Motherland (2016–2022), has also been confirmed to return for a second season in 2026.
Punch added: “I’m beyond excited to get started on Amandaland series two with our brilliantly talented, lovely cast. The Christmas special is going to be an absolute cracker – it’s like totes fire, with all the festive feels, for reals. Slay bells!”
Co-writer and creator Holly Walsh and co-writer Laurence Rickard added: “It’s an absolute joy to be back in SoHa (South Harlesden) again.
“After six months of researching Brent Council’s fly tipping rules, attempting Anne’s Irish accent and writing the odd bit of script, we’re so excited to get filming with our amazing cast. We’re thrilled to bits to have a Christmas special and Jennifer Saunders is the perfect addition to the gang.”
Saunders and Lumley memorably played Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone – two of the most beloved characters in television history (particularly among the LGBTQIA+ community) – in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous, which ran for five seasons and various specials between 1992 and 2012.
A film continuation, serving as the series finale, followed in 2016. While the duo have since reunited for projects such as the BBC documentary Joanna & Jennifer: Absolutely Champers (2017) and last year’s Absolutely Fabulous: Inside Out, Amandaland marks their first on-screen acting reunion since Ab Fab.
Although Saunders, who also created and wrote the series, has continuously stated that a revival will “never happen”, she revealed in 2023 that her next project will contain “some Ab Fab-ness, but not totally Ab-Fab”.
On Titting About, her podcast with comedy partner Dawn French, she said she felt the “need to write a film, or a series based on Ab Fab,” adding: “I want to do something related.” When French asked if Lumley would be involved, Saunders replied: “Possibly.”
And in a 2024 interview with My Weekly, Lumley revealed that Saunders wanted to kill off Patsy and Eddie, until she intervened.
Lumley said: “I wrote back the fastest email return I’ve ever written. I said, ‘No, we’ve promised the world we will never die! And to be honest, if all that vodka and champagne they’ve necked over the years hasn’t done the job, then why on earth would their creator be able to do it?’”
Latest
