Joanna Lumley 'hardly ever' watched Motherland but she loved reprising her role
'Motherland' star Dame Joanna Lumley "hardly ever saw" the original sitcom despite her role, but she's excited for 'Amandaland'.
Dame Joanna Lumley "hardly ever saw" 'Motherland'.
The 78-year-old actress will be reprising her role as Felicity in 'Amandaland' - the upcoming spin-off focused on her on-screen daughter, played by Lucy Punch - and while she is delighted to be back, she has admitted she never really watched the original sitcom.
She admitted: "I hardly ever saw it, but what I did see, I adored.
"I don’t watch much television, but it was sensational – fresh, unbelievably different, and full of amazing performances."
Joanna revealed she never actually expected to revisit the role after making occasional appearances in the original, which ran for three series between 2017 and 2021, before returning the following year for its second Christmas special.
She said: "It’s lovely. We planted her in 'Motherland' a little bit, and you never expect a role like that to come back.
"It was such a treat to see more of her. Like all roles, you ask yourself, 'Can I inhabit her? Can I bring her to life and make her believable?;
"With Felicity, I thought, 'Yes, I can do this.' There’s something about her that I really understood."
Joanna insisted she is "just an incidental part" in the show, which also sees Philippa Dunne return as Amanda's friend Anne.
Pondering their reunion, Lucy said: "Even during 'Motherland', Philippa and I imagined extra scenes for Amanda and Anne – like Amanda giving Anne a makeover or needing her support during a breakdown.
"They’re just a couple of idiots, really. Philippa is brilliant and so funny. While Amanda was awful to Anne at first, over time, their love and need for each other became clear.
"Amanda flourishes with Anne around because she can peacock, and now Anne is her lifeline, helping her navigate this new world.
"It’s the opposite with Felicity. Amanda is more in Anne’s position when it comes to her relationship with her mother. She adores and admires her but it’s complicated, deeply buried love."
'Amandaland' is coming to BBC One and iPlayer on February 5.
