Ever since we heard that Amanda from Motherland was getting her own spin-off show, we’ve been excited to see how the Marmite mum would fare in a whole new world – and the answer is Amandaland's as funny and cringeworthy as we'd hoped. Alpha mum Amanda (a perfectly cast Lucy Punch) is the queen of adapting and rising to all social situations, and it turns out a downgrade from Chiswick to South Harlesden – or SoHa as she calls it – is no different.

“Amanda’s probably had a quiet breakdown or meltdown along the way," Lucy reveals. "She’s disintegrated somewhat but has galvanised herself, got a blowout, done her nails, bought a new outfit, and is bringing her full Amanda energy to South Harlesden to whip up a storm.”

When the new series begins, we see Amanda and her two children are now living in a flat – yes, a flat! – above builder, Mal (Samuel Anderson) who's not only lovely and easy on the eye but, crucially, knows how to handle Amanda’s ridiculous airs and graces. While she struggles to find her feet in the new neighbourhood, a chance encounter with Anne (Philipa Dunne) – her much maligned minion in Motherland – instantly helps her reorientate and gain the confidence to reassert her authority. And fascinatingly, despite Anne’s glow up (hello, new fringe!), nothing has changed between the pair as they both get something they need out of their symbiotic relationship.

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amandaland
Natalie Seery//BBC

“It’s lovely that Amanda has Anne. I always think the real love story is between Amanda and Anne,” Lucy says. “Anne's probably the only person who has ever loved Amanda unconditionally. 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's her lifeline, helping her navigate this new world.”

While it would be easy to write-off Amanda as an awful snob and bully, throughout the three series of Motherland it became increasingly clear that this nuanced character was deeply insecure and unhappy thanks to her dysfunctional relationships with her emotionally cold mother Felicity (the formidable Joanna Lumley) and distant ex-husband Johnny (Terry Mynott).

amandaland
Natalie Seery//BBC

“While Amanda was a difficult character, we saw that behind the perfect façade was a rather damaged, vulnerable woman," Lucy says. "Beneath everything, Amanda is probably terribly lonely. She’s been lonely her whole life – lonely as a child, lonely in her marriage, and now in this new world. She has a lot of social anxiety and an enormous ego, which makes her life harder, but she’s determined and hopeful.”

With her inner circle now including Anne, Mal and power couple, renowned chef Della (Siobhan McSweeney) and stylist Fi (Rochenda Sandall) – who aren't big fans of "Mandy" but endure her all the same – hopefully Amanda's lonely days are finally behind her.

Amandaland starts on BBC One on Wednesday 5th February at 9pm.