...including the return of Joanna Lumley

Motherland is to return for a Christmas special, with Joanna Lumley making a return to the cast.

The last series of the parenting comedy ended in May last year, since when the BBC has remained silent about whether it would be returning.

However, a festive episode, entitled Last Christmas, has been unveiled today, with the plot revolving around ‘the ultimate in blended celebrations’  – and with the episode moving to BBC One rather than its normal home on BBC Two.

It is part of the Corporation's Christmas line-up unveiled today, which includes  a new episode of Inside No. 9  and previously announced specials for Ghosts, The Cleaner, Mrs Brown's Boys, Detectorists and Two Doors Down.

Other comedy shows with seasonal specials include Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, Frankie Boyle's New World Order, Live At The Apollo, QI  and Would I Lie To You?

In the Christmas editoon of Motherland, Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) is hosting ‘an influx of grandparents demanding endless cups of tea’, as they play with a VR headset her lazy husband Paul (Oliver Chris) ‘bought for the kids’.

She also invited Kevin (Paul Ready) along too after learning that his alternative was dining on turkey crisps from the hotel vending machine in the company of the other divorced dads. Liz (Diane Morgan) also turns up when her ex cancels following a massive Christmas Eve bender,.

Meanwhile, Amanda (Lucy Punch) is spending Christmas Day with Johnny (Terry Mynott), the kids and Johnny’s new wife Tamara (Louise Delamere).   Amanda’s mother Felicity (Lumley) has been invited too

The contrast with Christmas at Anne’s (Philippa Dunne) house couldn’t be starker; Anne is hosting her mammy (Maggie McCarthy) and the cousins – all 29 of them - and is beside herself with excitement.

And  Meg’s (Tanya Moodie) husband Bill  (Anthony Head) buys her a present so dire that it has her questioning whether he really knows her at all. She gets stuck into the plentiful supply of booze she’s bought for the day but regrets the drunken results when something really shocking happens over the road at Julia’s.

Earlier this year, Moodie said the cast had their fingers crossed for a fourth series, and hoped it would feature her character tackling the menopause.

‘I know that all the goodwill in the world is there to make a comeback,’ she told the Radio Times. ‘It's about getting everyone's ducks in a row. So we all have our fingers crossed and we're just really, really hoping,

Motherland is written by Sharon Horgan, Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz  and Barunka O'Shaughness.

Made by:  Merman production with TwoFour
Produced by: Caroline Norris
Directed by: Simon Hynd
Executive producers: Clelia Mountford, Sharon Horgan, Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz and Barunka O’Shaughnessy.
Commissioned by: Jon Petrie, BBC controller of comedy commissioning `
Commissioning editor: Tanya Qureshi.

Published: 29 Nov 2022