Motherland spin off: When is Amandaland out and will Julia appear?

Rumours of a Motherland spin off initially seemed too good to be true, but it's actually happening and ready to land on our screens - all hail Queen Amanda...

That's right, the sanctimonious London mummy we all love to hate is back - Lucy Punch's iconic Amanda is back for a TV series of her very own, which for good news for anyone that never fully recovered from the news Motherland would never be returning. If the stellar cast are anything to go by, Amandaland is sure to rack up as many awards and nominations as its originator. 

The new series follows Amanda post-divorce, forced to downsize and move to South Harlesden. With Manus and Georgie now teenagers, Amanda grapples with this new stage of parenting, and adjusting to single motherhood - not to worry, it's not long before the long suffering Anne (Philippa Dunne) is forced back into the fold to take the brunt of Amanda's wrath. Here's what we know about when you can expect to watch the series, and who will make up the supporting cast - will any other original appear alongside Anne? 

When is Amandaland coming out?

Amandaland will be coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in February, although no official date has been released for the six-part series yet. However, the good news is that once you've dragged yourself through the seemingly endless month of January, you'll have something incredible to look forward to at the end of it. Alongside the return of Anne, the icing on the cake is Joanna Lumley reprising her role as Amanda's waspish and equally condescending mother, Felicity.

Sharon Horgan is the mastermind behind Motherland and Amandaland, and co-founder of Merman - the production company behind the show. She is delighted to see Amandaland  making it's way to a TV screen near you, saying, "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."

Will Julia be in Amandaland?

No, Anna Maxwell Martin won't be reprising her role as Julia is the spin off. During an appearance on This Morning to discuss her role in the recent true-crime drama, Until I Kill you, Anna confirmed she wouldn't be a part of the show. "There's brilliant Amandaland coming with Lucy Phil (Philippa Dunne,) so I'm really pleased about that. So maybe that will fill the hole that is left (by Motherland) and I'm sure that will do really, really well. I'm so glad the girls have got that show," she explained.

However, the actress might not be returning, but the rest of the Amandaland supporting cast is absolutely stellar. Rochenda Sandall, who recently put in an excellent turn in Celebrity Masterchef and is also known for her villainous role in Line of Duty, is set to appear. Peter Serafinowicz also has a part, and viewers will most likely recognise him from something within his lengthy and impressive list of TV and film appearances. 

But have a sit down and let's have a little drum role for this one - the awesome and mighty Siobhan McSweeney is also part of the Amandaland line up! After her iconic role as Sister Michael in Derry Girls, and fantastic turn as Jen's mum, Mary, in Extraordinary, to find out she will be appearing in the show is the best news there could be. We absolutely cannot wait for this series to land.