Motherland may have ended with its 2022 Christmas special, but its world is busier than ever. Spin-off Amandaland won the BAFTA for Scripted Comedy on 10 May 2026, three days later the BBC ordered a third series, and a new festive episode has been announced for December 2026.
It all goes back to a frazzled school run in west London and a group of parents just about holding it together. Find more great British comedy in our TV series collection.
Motherland Fact File
| Original run | 2016 (pilot), 2017-2022 |
|---|---|
| Created by | Sharon Horgan, Graham Linehan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh |
| Later writers | Sharon Horgan, Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz and Barunka O'Shaughnessy (series 2 onwards) |
| Network | BBC Two and BBC iPlayer (2022 special on BBC One) |
| Production | Merman (series 1-2), Twofour (series 3) |
| Main cast | Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready, Lucy Punch, Philippa Dunne, Tanya Moodie |
| Series and episodes | 3 series and 2 Christmas specials, 19 episodes plus the pilot |
| Setting | Queen's Park, west London |
| Spin-off | Amandaland (BBC One, 2025-present) |
Series and Episodes
| Series | Years | Episodes | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot | 2016 | 1 | Broadcast on BBC Two, 6 September 2016 |
| 1 | 2017 | 6 | Weekly on BBC Two, November-December |
| 2 | 2019 | 6 | Weekly on BBC Two, October-November |
| Christmas special | 2020 | 1 | Broadcast 23 December 2020 |
| 3 | 2021 | 5 | All episodes released on iPlayer on 10 May 2021 |
| Christmas special | 2022 | 1 | Final episode, 23 December 2022 on BBC One |
Episode counts are for the original UK broadcasts. The pilot is counted separately from the 19 series and special episodes.
A Sitcom Born on the School Run
The idea first surfaced in 2011 as an American pilot for ABC that was never picked up. Sharon Horgan reworked it for British audiences with Graham Linehan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh, and the four wrote the 2016 BBC Two pilot, which Linehan directed. Its premise was simple and painfully familiar: middle-class parenting is a battlefield, and the school gates are the front line.
Survive the school run in style with our Motherland Men's Hoodie.
Julia, Liz, Kevin and Amanda
Anna Maxwell Martin's Julia is the heart of the chaos, a working mum forever one crisis from collapse. Diane Morgan's deadpan Liz offers blunt solidarity, Paul Ready's eager Kevin desperately wants to belong, and Lucy Punch's Amanda rules the alpha mums with a smile sharp enough to cut glass. Philippa Dunne's loyal Anne and Tanya Moodie's Meg complete a gang that viewers recognised all too well.
Join the gang with our Motherland Men's T-Shirt.
Behind the Scenes
From series 2 the writing team became Horgan, Walsh, Serafinowicz and Barunka O'Shaughnessy, with Juliet May directing the first two series and Simon Hynd taking over for the specials and series 3. Although set in Queen's Park, much of the show was filmed across Acton, Ealing, Chiswick, Bedford Park and Muswell Hill. Series 3 arrived as a full iPlayer box set in 2021, and the 2022 Christmas special drew the show's biggest audience, more than four million viewers.
From Motherland to Amandaland
Rather than a fourth series, the team spun off Amanda. Amandaland, written by Holly Walsh and Laurence Rickard, follows the newly divorced queen bee as she downsizes to South Harlesden, or "SoHa". Lucy Punch and Philippa Dunne returned, joined by Joanna Lumley as Amanda's mother Felicity. Series 1 arrived in February 2025 and series 2 in May 2026.
Awards and Honours
Motherland
- BAFTA TV Award for Scripted Comedy (2022)
Amandaland
- BAFTA TV Award for Scripted Comedy (2026)
Legacy and Fandom
For many parents Motherland was less a sitcom than a documentary, and its catchphrase-free, cringe-heavy humour won a loyal following on iPlayer. An American remake starring Ellie Kemper reached the pilot stage at ABC in 2023 but was not taken forward, and the British original lives on through Amandaland.
FAQs
How many series of Motherland are there?
There are three series plus two Christmas specials, 19 episodes in total, with the 2016 pilot on top.
Who wrote Motherland?
It was created by Sharon Horgan, Graham Linehan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh. From series 2 the writers were Horgan, Walsh, Serafinowicz and Barunka O'Shaughnessy.
Where was Motherland filmed?
The story is set in Queen's Park, but filming took place mainly in Acton, Ealing, Chiswick, Bedford Park and Muswell Hill in London.
Will there be a Motherland series 4?
No new series has been announced. The story continues in the spin-off Amandaland instead.
Is Amandaland coming back?
Yes. The BBC ordered a six-episode third series in May 2026, and a Christmas special is due in December 2026.
Did Motherland win a BAFTA?
Yes, Motherland won the BAFTA for Scripted Comedy in 2022, and Amandaland won the same award in 2026.
Shop the Motherland Collection
Our Motherland pieces are tribute fan designs, made to order in the UK as hoodies and tees.
Motherland Men's Hoodie
£39.99
Motherland Men's T-Shirt
£29.99
Browse the full TV series collection, or put your own name front and centre with a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Icon Profiles series. Read next: The Royle Family and The Inbetweeners.
0 comments