Amandaland Christmas special: Release date, cast, plot and trailer

Lucy Punch, who plays a character on Amandaland, jokingly said her character’s Christmas wishlist includes a salmon sperm facial, Meghan Markle’s marmalade, and a white-gold diamond cuff when asked about the show’s first Christmas special.

After a successful start in February, the BBC comedy is returning! This time, Amanda is bringing a group of reluctant companions with her to spend the holidays at her aunt’s large house in the Cotswolds.

But it doesn’t pan out as Amanda had hoped (does it ever?).

When asked about her favorite part of filming, Philippa Dunne (who played Anne) said the entire Christmas special episode was a highlight.

It was a truly special experience – a hilarious script with a fantastic cast, a gorgeous, festive countryside setting, singing carols in the rain, and the chance to work with Jennifer Saunders, who plays Amanda’s aunt – something I’ve always dreamed of. I’ll cherish the memories forever.

So, what larks will they all be getting up to — and when can you watch it?

Read on for everything you need to know about the Amandaland Christmas special.

Amandaland Christmas special release date: When will it air?

Tune in on Christmas Day at 9.15pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Amandaland Christmas special cast: Who stars?

It obviously wouldn’t be Amandaland without Lucy Punch as Amanda.

Returning alongside her are the following:

Joanna Lumley as Felicity
Philippa Dunne as Anne
Samuel Anderson as Mal
Miley Locke as Georgie
Alexander Shaw as Manus

We’ve got some fantastic news! Jennifer Saunders will be appearing as Amanda’s Aunt Joan, and this will be the first time she and Joanna Lumley have worked together on screen since their iconic roles in Absolutely Fabulous.

Punch praised Jennifer Saunders’ performance in every scene, calling it brilliantly funny. They especially loved the scenes featuring both Jennifer Saunders and Joanna, finding that pairing even more enjoyable.

But just in case you’re anticipating Edina and Patsy 2.0…

Lumley explained that they intentionally played characters very different from Edina and Patsy. She fondly remembered Joan Collins being on set, saying everyone, including herself, loved having her there, and that it felt sad when filming the Christmas episode finished and she left.

Amandaland Christmas special plot: What will happen?

The story follows Amanda and her family as they travel to Aunt Joan’s country home for the holidays. However, their plans are disrupted when Mal and Anne join them, and Amanda finds it difficult to recapture the special Christmas memories she has of that place.

Felicity is getting more and more annoyed by her sister’s relentlessly cheerful attitude, and Anne is deeply upset about being away from her family.

Is there a trailer for the Amandaland Christmas special?

Yes – you can watch it right now.

Enjoy the chaos below.

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Amandaland season 1 is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Season 2 will arrive 2026.

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Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor at TopMob, where she writes about TV dramas and comedies. Before joining TopMob, she worked as a TV writer for Digital Spy and a content writer for Mumsnet. She has a degree and a postgraduate diploma in English Studies.

2025-12-15 15:36