Latest news with #LucyPunch
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Countdown's Rachel Riley, Amandaland's Lucy Punch and McFly's Dougie Poynter take on SHARKS in outrageous new reality series that makes I'm A Celeb look tame as full line-up revealed
Countdown's Rachel Riley, Amandaland's Lucy Punch and McFly 's Dougie Poynter are set to take on sharks in an outrageous new reality series that makes I'm A Celebrity look tame. Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters is due to hit our screens next year on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player. The new series, which will coincide with 50th anniversary of Jaws, will see a bunch of famous faces, who are terrified of the sea, face their fears head on by taking a plunge surrounded by the scary predators. Filming will take place in Bimini in the Bahamas - where 7-10 different types of sharks live on the island. The celebrities who are confirmed to take part are Rachel, 39, Lucy, 47, Dougie, 37, Ade Adepitan, 52, Helen George, 40, Sir Lenny Henry, 66, and Ross Noble, 48. The official press release states: 'The show will dare a group of ocean-phobic celebrities to confront their greatest fear – sharks. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the. The line-up of the brand new reality TV show Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters has been revealed - and it's due to hit our screens soon 'Throughout their adrenaline-fueled, challenge-heavy journey in the Bahamas – the shark capital of the world – these A-listers will push past their limits to come nose to nose with nature's 'villains.' 'Their firsthand experiences will provide immeasurable excitement and new perspective. 'They'll come to appreciate sharks' valuable place on the food chain and in our ecosystem, recognizing that a world devoid of these notoriously terrifying creatures is downright frightening. 'Those taking part will be getting up close and personal with a number of different breeds of sharks throughout filming.' Head of Factual Entertainment at Plimsoll Productions, Karen Plumb, said: 'The team at Plimsoll is uniquely positioned to pioneer this format that blends conservation with wildly entertaining pop culture. 'We're constantly looking for innovative approaches to wildlife storytelling and are certain that our fish-out-of-water spin – delivering 50 years after Jaws – will transform the world's perception of these critical predators before it's too late.' Head of Entertainment Commissioning ITV, Katie Rawcliffe, said: 'We're super excited to be combining the work of Plimsoll - a Blue Chip natural history production company - with the expertise of ITV Entertainment. 'SHARK! Celebrity Infested Waters promises to be a once in a lifetime challenge for some of the bravest celebrities out there.' Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters is due to hit our screens next year on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player Rachel is best known for presenting Countdown. She joined the show as the numbers expert in 2009. Meanwhile Lucy has appeared in various films and TV shows over the years. However she's arguably best known for appearing in Motherland, Amandaland. Film wise she's had roles in Hot Fuzz, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger and Ella Enchanted. Dougie has been part of boyband McFly since they joined forces in 2003. Some of their best songs include Five Colours in Her Hair, Obviously, Star Girl, Shine a Light and I'll Be OK. Ade is known for being a TV presenter and wheelchair basketball player. He's landed roles in Desperados, Casualty and Freight, but also presented the likes of Xchange and the Paralympic Games. The star has also won gold at the Paralympic World Cup for the Men's wheelchair basketball in 2005, as well as various other medals in the Paralympic Games and Wheelchair Basketball World Championships. Meanwhile Helen is best known for playing Trixie Franklin in Call the Midwife. She's also played characters in the likes of Hollyoaks, Hotel Babylon, The Three Musketeers and D.I Ray. Comedian Lenny has been a well-known face in the industry since the 70s. He will be joined by another funnyman Ross, who has starred in TV shows such as Have I Got News For You.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amandaland Season 2: BBC Finally Gives Update On Comedy's Future
Ever since the Motherland spin-off Amandaland premiered on the BBC last month, fans have been speculating about whether a second season is on the cards. Until now, the team behind the acclaimed comedy had been tight-lipped about whether there'd be more fun from Amanda and her clan in the pipeline, but we finally have an answer. And we're happy to report that it's good news. On Thursday morning, the BBC confirmed Amandaland would be getting a new season, after what it described as a 'standout debut', averaging around 6.4 million viewers to date. Executive producer Sharon Horgan enthused: 'With any new show you put out there, your main hope is to make something you love and are proud of. The extra bonus is that it's a critical hit. But to have a loyal audience of this size is just beyond your hopes and expectations. 'The incredible cast and writers, director and production team worked so hard on this show and it's so wonderful to see that hard work pay off.' Sharon also singled out Amandaland lead Lucy Punch 'for being the most extraordinary front woman' and praised the BBC 'for having such faith in the idea of Amandaland from the off'. Creator Holly Walsh added: 'We've been bowled over by the response to Amandaland and can't wait to get collabing on the next series.' It was previously teased that a Christmas special of Amandaland could be on the cards for later in 2025, for those who can't quite wait for more action from Amanda and co., though this is yet to be confirmed. As well as Lucy Punch, Amandaland features a host of returning faces from Motherland, including Philippa Dunne as Anne and Joanne Lumley as Amanda's mother, Felicity. The spin-off also introduced a host of new characters, played by new additions Siobhan McSweeney, Rochenda Sandall and Samuel Anderson. Thought The Cast Of Amandaland Looked Familiar? Here's Where You've Seen The Stars Before Jennifer Coolidge Has 4 Words For Anyone Hoping To See Her Return To The White Lotus Meghan Markle Reveals The 1 Thing She Took From The Set Of Suits
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC confirms second series of hit comedy Amandaland
The hit BBC comedy Amandaland, starring Lucy Punch, Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne, is officially returning to iPlayer and BBC One after a standout debut. Since launching, Amandaland has averaged 6.4 million viewers to date, making it the BBC's second biggest comedy launch in recent years (excluding specials), behind Ludwig (9.5 million) and on par with The Outlaws (6.4 millions), according to the latest data. The series has also been a hit with younger audiences, drawing 0.9 million 16-34s, the biggest BBC comedy audience in this demographic since The Cleaner in 2021. Watch Amandaland on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist Produced by Merman, Amandaland follows Lucy Punch as Amanda, who in series one had to downsize and up sticks to South Harlesden, or as the estate agent called it SoHa (definitely not the area around Wormwood Scrubs prison) post her divorce. With both Manus and Georgie at secondary school, Amanda had to try and get her head around raising teenagers, dealing with modern motherhood horrors like teenage drinking, fake Instagram accounts and eco anxiety. Not even a woman as certain of her parenting as Amanda could deal with those nightmares alone. Amanda's mother Felicity (Joanna Lumley) was constantly around, and completely in denial that she was, in fact, lonely. Theirs is a slightly unhealthy co-dependent relationship based on backhanded compliments and veiled snipes about her new home. After a brief spell of freedom, Anne (Philippa Dunne) was sucked back into being Amanda's minion to help her navigate the social scene with the other parents at the children's new school. Thank God for Anne. The first series also introduced a host of new characters, including Amanda's long-suffering downstairs neighbour Mal (Samuel Anderson) and JJ (Ekow Quartey), the stepfather to Mal's son Ned, as well as power couple Della and Fi (Siobhán McSweeney and Rochenda Sandall) and smooth-talking South African property developer Johannes (Peter Serafinowicz). Co-writer and creator Holly Walsh says: 'We've been bowled over by the response to Amandaland and can't wait to get co-labbing on the next series.' Sharon Horgan, Co-Founder of Merman says: 'With any new show you put out there, your main hope is to make something you love and are proud of. The extra bonus is that it's a critical hit. But to have a loyal audience of this size is just beyond your hopes and expectations. The incredible cast and writers, director and production team worked so hard on this show and it's so wonderful to see that hard work pay off. Special thanks to Lucy for being the most extraordinary front woman and to the BBC for having such faith in the idea of Amandaland from the off.' Tanya Qureshi, Head of Comedy at the BBC says: 'We always had high hopes for Amandaland, but it's been amazing to see how much viewers have embraced not just the returning characters, but the brilliant new additions too. We're so thrilled to reunite with this talented team for another instalment of Amanda's new life in SoHa.' Amandaland was created by Sharon Horgan (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, Helen Serafinowicz, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Laurence Rickard (Ghosts, Yonderland). Lionsgate distributes the series worldwide. Critical Acclaim 'Punch carries most of the heavy lifting with ease, and the result is not only a spin-off that punches above its weight: it is lovely, life-affirming escapism.' The Times (5*) 'Joanna Lumley has made a career out of stealing shows. She can be great in a starring role, but when she's the support act, she's Absolutely Fabulous. From the moment she stumbles through the front door in Amandaland, Dame Joanna gathers up the laughs and sweeps them into her handbag like an aristocratic shoplifter on a spree.' Daily Mail (5*) 'With a hilarious dialogue from the same team who write Motherland, a glorious cast of characters old and news, and a dazzlingly fast and funny opening episode, Amandaland looks like being just as fabulous as its parent show.' Heat (5*) 'Amandaland will make you howl with laughter – Lucy Punch has never been better.' The Independent (4*) 'The signs are good that Amandaland could join the ranks of the great comedy spin-offs' Radio Times (4*) 'Original British comedy is enjoying a period of strength at the moment, and Amandaland has joined the ranks of the outstanding newcomers.' Financial Times (4*) 'All this action and wit is upheld perfectly by Lucy Punch, who makes the turn from enjoyable side character to magnetic main character with unexpected, brilliant ease… Turns out it packs quite the Punch.' The Evening Standard 'In short, it's genius.' New Statesman 'Amandaland is brilliant, brutal and 100% better than it has any right to be.' Stylist OH Notes to Editors Source: Barb as viewed: all homes, all devices, all viewing, data run in TechEdge 04/03/2025 PM. Please note this is not our final 28 day figure.
Telegraph
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The triumph of Amandaland proves Britain loves a snob
For a decade or more, Britain has been lamenting the demise of the sitcom. What was once a staple of the television schedule – and indeed a testament to the British sense of humour – had become seen as démodé, out of step with a burgeoning industry that was striving instead for cinematic gloss. While several excellent sitcoms have been made over the past year or so – Big Boys, Alma's Not Normal – they don't have the extraordinary reach of something such as Dad's Army, the catchphrases and zingers of which still linger in the public consciousness after half a century. But the BBC's Amandaland has bucked the trend. The series – a spin-off from the sitcom Motherland – features former queen bee Amanda (Lucy Punch) coping with the tragedy of moving from 'leafy' Chiswick' to 'vibrant' South Harlesden with her teenage children, following the break-up of her marriage. It's that rare thing: a show that's even better than the (very good) original. Viewers clearly agree, with consolidated figures of 4.6 million for the first episode, the best for a new TV comedy series since 2019. A second series, although not yet confirmed by the BBC, seems inevitable. Amandaland works so well for several reasons. The relatively large ensemble of dysfunctional characters are cleverly delineated, and the cast is uniformly strong (special praise to Ekow Quartey, a name new to me, as the adorable JJ). While Amanda is, on occasion, a monster, she's also recognisably human, with Punch adding a level of psychological understanding that wasn't there in Motherland. Now that she is no longer a wealthy alpha mum due to her divorce, we see Amanda's vulnerability; her desperate attempts to maintain that she's a cut above – her lowly job at a kitchen store becomes, in her words a 'co-lab' – are funny, but also heartbreaking. The oddballs who inhabit her manic life (from her regal, icy mother, played by Joanna Lumley, to her adoring, dowdy friend Anne, played by Phillippa Dunne) want to protect her, and the viewer does too. I think some of the show's success is owed to its humanity – but I wager that there's a bigger, more basic reason. We all love a snob, particularly a snob such as Amanda, who has fallen on hard times or has delusions of grandeur. The acme of the latter trait was Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances, always fearful that her down-market relatives would turn up at her pristine chalet bungalow. Such behaviour was generally, in fact, the meat of sitcoms for several decades, whether it was the aspirations of Harold Steptoe (Harry H Corbett), constantly thwarted by his grubby father Albert (Wilfrid Brambell), or the insecurities of Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe) in Dad's Army, who dampened his feelings of social inferiority by marshalling the ageing troops of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard. Penelope Keith arguably made an entire career out of playing snobs, a niche that rewarded the viewer most richly in The Good Life as golf widow Margo Leadbetter peeked forlornly through her leaded-light windows to witness the rackety attempts of her neighbours Tom and Barbara Good (Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal) to become self-sufficient. We Britons love a snob because we're obsessed with social class. It pervades our daily life, be it the assumptions we make every time somebody opens their mouth, or the subtleties of our language – 'granny' versus 'nan', 'pudding' versus 'sweet' – which must blow foreign visitors' minds. Yet despite our preoccupations, British TV has sometimes tried to pretend that social striations don't exist, or are at least irrecoverably blurred – a hangover, perhaps, from John Major's promise to create a classless society upon becoming prime minister in 1990. I remember, for instance, a period of socially non-specific TV drama in the early 2000s during which someone such as Kevin Whately, sporting a strong regional accent and a Christian name like 'Finn', would come home from a hard day working in some vaguely manual job to his RP-speaking wife (perhaps Emma Fielding) and open a brutal Merlot, thus creating a social situation which was rather hard to define. But often in recent years, the middle-classes haven't been deemed interesting, and thus television drama tends to focus on the 'gritty' (almost always urban working-class) or what I suppose I have to call 'posh'. In fact, posh people behaving badly has in recent years become a subgenre in itself. Up and down the land, middle-aged marketing managers are lapping up Rivals (based on the Jilly Cooper novel) as well as a lot of American series, of which The White Lotus, a series drooled over by media types who really should know better, is the best known. We love posh people, and we particularly love posh people when they screw up. Those of you who have seen Amandaland will know that, in part, it's about posh people screwing up. But it's also far more interesting than that, far better observed than any glossy US import, and that's because the series is galvanised by the hang-ups and paradoxes of the British class system, snobbery most of all. The writers – Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Laurence Rickard – know that to be British is to gingerly plot a route across various social minefields every day, and it shows in the scripts. I predict that the success of Amandaland will spawn a host of imitators, and that comedy executives will realise that the middle classes matter and want to see themselves – or a hyped-up version of themselves – on TV. Yes, successful drama is sometimes about class: think of Peter Flannery's Our Friends in the North. But in general, comedy mines its absurdities far more effectively. All those old sitcoms make us realise our own insecurities. Sometimes we're ridiculous – and we need to be reminded of that.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Will Amandaland Get A Season 2? Here's What We Know Right Now
In the space of just over a week, Amandaland has become one of the most talked-about British comedies of recent memory. The Motherland spin-off, hooked on Lucy Punch's character and her dysfunctional family, is currently airing weekly on BBC One earlier this month, with all six episodes also dropping simultaneously on iPlayer. And for those who've already binged the whole thing, they're already growing impatient for more. The question is… will there be more Amandaland in the future? Well, first, the bad news. At the time of writing, the team behind Amandaland is staying tight-lipped about whether or not we'll be seeing more from Amanda and her neighbours. However, the may be a few glimmers of hope. First of all, the show itself has been a hit with both critics and viewers, and given how much people had been crying out for more Motherland, Amandaland seems to have been a nice balm for those missing the original show. And during a post-screening Q&A, earlier this month, executive producer Sharon Horgan admitted that she was 'not allowed to say' if an Amandaland Christmas special would be on the cards later this year. So, no word on a full series just yet, but a fair bet we might be popping round to Amanda's over the festive period. Frankly, we'll take any morsels of news we can get at this point. As well as returning stars from Motherland like Lucy Punch, Dame Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne, Amandaland introduces some exciting new additions to the cast, including Derry Girls star Siobhan McSweeney and Gavin & Stacey's Samuel Anderson. Thought The Cast Of Amandaland Looked Familiar? Here's Where You've Seen The Stars Before 16 Things You Didn't Know About Your New Favourite Sitcom Motherland Motherland Star Tanya Moodie's Secrets From Set: 'I'm Breathless With Laughter Before We Even Film'
