Absolutely Fabulous legends reunite for first time in 10 years for BBC Christmas special
Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders, best known as Ab Fab's Patsy and Edina, will be brought together for a festive special in which they play sisters
The Amandaland Christmas special is to be an Absolutely Fabulous reunion with Jennifer Saunders cast as the sister of Joanna Lumley’s character. The Mirror revealed in January that the hit comedy, starring Lucy Punch in the title role, would get its own festive outing this year.
Yesterday BBC bosses revealed that Saunders will play Aunt Joan, the enthusiastic, country-living, upper-class sister of Lumley’s character Felicity.
With Joan said to be “very different” from Felicity, 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.”
This special episode will be the first scripted on-screen reunion for Jennifer and Joanna since the Absolutely Fabulous film in 2016.
The second series of Amandaland, which also stars Philippa Dunne as Amanda’s long-suffering South Harlesden friend Anne, is returning to BBC1 next year.
Co-writers Holly Walsh and Laurence Rickard said: “It’s an absolute joy to be back in SoHa 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.”
The first run series pulled in 5.7 million viewers to date, with the first episode attracting 7.4million, making it the BBC’s second biggest new comedy launch in recent years, behind Ludwig, which got 11.4milion.
Leading lady Lucy said: “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!”
The Mirror reported in January that the show could be given a Christmas Day slot, after proving such a hit.
In the sitcom Amanda and her two children have been forced to leave leafy Chiswick for a flat in grittier South Harlesden - which she calls SoHa - after her divorce.
Asked if there would be a Christmas special, writer Walsh beamed while admitting: “I’m not allowed to say.” She added that Amanda would “probably have three Christmas trees”.
And one insider revealed: “Amandaland is so funny, this could be the new jewel in the crown of the Christmas schedule. Everyone is thrilled. But it’s top secret.”
Joanna Lumley said she was delighted to be back as one of the main characters in the spin-off, having had a minor role as disapproving Felicity in BBC1’s Bafta-winning Motherland. “This was magic to be part of it, to be in every episode. I think she's so selfish and self-regarding. I just adore her,” she said, adding that she only gets offered roles as baddies these days. “It's written into my contract now - I must be mean. I’m always cast as horrid, savage old grannies and mothers, and wizened, cruel aunts. I don't know why it is, because I'm a sunny character.”
Lucy said that while she was quite different to her character Amanda, she does have her trait of eternal optimism. “Amanda has this sort of teenage hopefulness bordering on delusion that I share,” she explained. “I don't think, in all my years, I’ve ever had an audition for a job, whatever it is, that I haven't been convinced I was going to get.
“And even when I've done a terrible audition, or they're just not interested, I dust myself off and then go, ‘Get me at the next one.’”
In the last series, Amanda found brief romance with Johannes, a South African property developer played by Peter Serafinowicz and fans are now hoping she gets together with her dishy downstairs neighbour Mal (Samuel Anderson).
Walsh said: “I think there's a sort of nice little simmering thing going on with Mal. They have a kind of Sam and Diane thing going on from Cheers, where they hate each other but there's slightly something underneath that.”
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