'It will run as long as the team want to make it'

The BBC has commissioned a third series of Motherland.

The news comes a week before the comedy’s second series launches next week.

For the new run, Tanya Moodie joins the cast of parents alongside Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan, Lucy Punch, Paul Ready and Philippa Dunne.

The show is written by Sharon Horgan, Holly Walsh, Helen Linehan and Barunka O’Shaughnessy, who replaces Graham Linehan from series one.

Shane Allen, the BBC’s controller of comedy commissioning said: ‘The sheer amount of top-of-their game comedy brains both in front and behind camera in one show is staggering. 

‘Series two has the sharpest and paciest writing which places our relentlessly inept ensemble into ever-inventive heights of degradation.

‘We want more and we want it as soon as possible.  This is a show that will run for as long as the team are able to keep making it and is the easiest commissioning decision this side of renewing Coronation Street.’

 Horgan added: ‘Making the second series of Motherland was even more therapeutic than the first. We gratefully accept Shane Allen’s offer of further treatment courtesy of the BBC.’

Motherland started life as a New On Two pilot and was commissioned for a full series in 2017, which won 1.3million overnight viewers for its first episode.

Series two begins on BBC Two on Monday October 7 at 10pm, with the  full series made available on immediately afterwards on BBC iPlayer. No details have yet been announced for the broadcast of series three.

Made by: Merman Production with Delightful Industries
Commissioned by: Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning and Patrick Holland, Controller, BBC Two
Executive producers: Clelia Mountford, Sharon Horgan, Richard Boden and Holly Walsh. 
Commissioning editor: Alex Moody.

Published: 1 Oct 2019