Amandaland Christmas Special 2026 Confirmed by BBC as Lucy Punch Returns for Hour-Long Festive Episode

Amandaland Christmas Special to be centre of BBC’s festive tv lineup

The BBC has commissioned a new Amandaland Christmas special for 2026, with Lucy Punch, Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne returning for another hour of festive So-Ha chaos.

• Amandaland Christmas Special 2026 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
• Lucy Punch returns as Amanda alongside Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne
• Daisy Haggard joins the cast as Amanda’s old friend, Millie
• The hour-long special follows the record-breaking 2025 Christmas episode
• The special arrives ahead of the highly anticipated third series of Amandaland

Following two hugely successful series and a record-breaking Christmas special last year, BBC Comedy has commissioned an Amandaland Christmas special for 2026.

The award-winning series, starring Lucy Punch, Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne, will return to BBC iPlayer and BBC One with a festive dose of So-Ha chaos. Daisy Haggard (Breeders) will also join the Christmas special as Amanda’s old friend, Millie.

Lucy Punch returns as Amanda, the self-appointed queen of So-Ha. After a chance encounter with an old school friend, Amanda abandons her quiet family Christmas Eve plans and decides to throw a massive last-minute party to impress her.

Amanda sees the party as a potential route back into the high-flying circle of her former classmates, meaning everything has to be perfect. However, she soon discovers that organising a high-end party in just 24 hours is far from easy.

With no-one impressive available at such short notice, Amanda is forced to cast her invitation net wider and wider as the hours tick down.

Also returning for the Christmas special are Samuel Anderson as Mal, Rochenda Samuel as Fi, Ekow Quartey as JJ, Harriet Webb as Abs, Cavan Clerkin as Daniel, Rosie Cavaliero as Claire, Alexander Shaw as Manus, Miley Locke as Georgie, Anya McKenna- Bruce as Morten and Archie Smith as Ned.

Amandaland Christmas special breaks viewing records

The Amandaland 2025 Christmas special became the UK’s most-watched comedy episode of the year, attracting 7.4 million viewers over 28 days.

It was also the top broadcaster comedy episode among 16-34-year-olds, recording an audience of 1.2 million.

Series two averaged 4.5 million viewers across 28 days, while series one won Best Scripted Comedy at the BAFTA Television Awards 2026. Lucy Punch and Philippa Dunne were also nominated in the BAFTA Female Performance in a Comedy category, alongside Jennifer Saunders for the 2025 Christmas special.

Philippa Dunne additionally won the Comedy Performance – Female award at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2026 for series one.

Lucy Punch teases Amandaland Christmas special

Lucy Punch said:

“There’s mistletoe, cheese straws and a middle-aged wannabe sexy Santa. We are all delighted to be back again for an Amandaland Xmas Spesh!”

Writer and director Holly Walsh and writer Laurence Rickard said:

“We are utterly thrilled that the BBC have given us the ultimate Christmas present of another special – and an hour long one at that! Cameras are now rolling and we are so sure that you’ll love this gift we’ve got for you, we’re not even enclosing the receipt.”

Seb Barwell, BBC Commissioning Editor, added:

“Last year’s special proved to be the Christmas tradition we didn’t know we needed, so we’re delighted to have Amanda and friends back for another one. This brilliant team have gifted us a bumper hour-long episode, stuffed with all the humour and heart you could wish for.”

The Amandaland Christmas special has been announced ahead of the show’s eagerly anticipated third series.

Amandaland Christmas Special is a 1×60’ Merman production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

Amandaland was created by Sharon Horgan (Motherland, Bad Sisters, Catastrophe), Holly Walsh (Motherland, The Other One, Dead Boss), Helen Serafinowicz (Motherland, Nova Jones), and Barunka O’Shaughnessy (Breeders, Trying, Motherland).

It was written by Holly Walsh and Laurence Rickard (Ghosts, Yonderland), series produced by Arnold Widdowson and directed by Holly Walsh.

The executive producers for Merman are Sharon Horgan, Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz, Laurence Rickard and Faye Dorn. The BBC commissioning editors are Seb Barwell and Roya Eslami. Lionsgate distributes the series worldwide.

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