British Comedy Guide
Motherland. Image shows from L to R: Liz (Diane Morgan), Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin), Kevin (Paul Ready)
Motherland

Motherland

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC Two / BBC One
  • 2016 - 2022
  • 20 episodes (3 series)

Comedy about middle-class parenthood and juggling kids, school, and other parents. Stars Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready, Lucy Punch, Philippa Dunne and more.

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Christmas Special

Motherland. Image shows from L to R: Amanda (Lucy Punch), Anne (Philippa Dunne), Meg (Tanya Moodie), Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin), Liz (Diane Morgan), Kevin (Paul Ready)
If it's Christmas, it's time for Amanda's Annual Seasonal Soiree (dress code; tinsel and tiaras!). Nothing says festive like Evil Santa, a thirty-foot Christmas tree and very strict rules about where you can and can't drink mulled wine.

Preview clips

Further details

If it's Christmas, it's time for Amanda's Annual Seasonal Soiree (dress code; tinsel and tiaras!). Nothing says festive like Evil Santa, a thirty-foot Christmas tree and very strict rules about where you can and can't drink mulled wine. Only Meg has an official party invite but Julia, Kevin and Liz tag along as her plus threes.

Apart from Anne, the gang find the other guests a little frosty, but for Julia it's still a welcome distraction from playing festive butler to a houseful of in-laws. Liz is trying to ignore Christmas altogether whilst Kevin is single-handedly stuffing, wrapping, roasting, parboiling, laying up, washing up and decorating everything he can lay his hands on.

Broadcast details

Date
Wednesday 23rd December 2020
Time
9pm
Channel
BBC Two
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Anna Maxwell Martin Julia
Diane Morgan Liz
Paul Ready Kevin
Lucy Punch Amanda
Philippa Dunne Anne
Tanya Moodie Meg
Ellie Haddington Marion
Oliver Chris Paul
Guest cast
David Calder Geoff
Penny Ryder Elizabeth
Tom Meeten Sam
Margaret Cabourn-Smith Mrs Banbury Hughes
Writing team
Sharon Horgan Writer
Holly Walsh Writer
Barunka O'Shaughnessy Writer
Helen Serafinowicz Writer
Production team
Simon Hynd Director
Caroline Norris Producer
Sharon Horgan Executive Producer
Clelia Mountford Executive Producer
Holly Walsh Executive Producer
Ben Caudell Executive Producer
Emma Brown Line Producer
Helen Serafinowicz Associate Producer
Nigel Williams Editor
Jeff Sherriff (as Jeffrey Sherriff) Production Designer
Sarah Crowe Casting Director
Ben Marks Casting Director
Greg Duffield Director of Photography
Lucia Santa-Maria Costume Designer
Vanessa White Make-up Designer
Oli Julian Composer
Brett Thomas 1st Assistant Director

Videos

Motherland Christmas trailer

Christmas comes but once a year, and thank God for that, because it's time for Amanda's annual festive soiree.

Featuring: Anna Maxwell Martin (Julia), Diane Morgan (Liz), Paul Ready (Kevin) & Lucy Punch (Amanda).

Preparation stress

Christmas comes but once a year, and thank God it's not more often...

Featuring: Oliver Chris (Paul), David Calder (Geoff) & Penny Ryder (Elizabeth).

Press

The Motherland guide to a no-frills Christmas

The matriarchs of Motherland are back for a one-off special. Here, straight-talking Liz offers advice for stress-free festivities.

The Guardian, 23rd December 2020

Motherland Christmas special review

The slapstick carnage in this one-off episode - there's a broken nose, a toppled tree and an explosion of flour - is not as funny as the more low-key moments.

Alexandra Pollard, The Independent, 23rd December 2020

Motherland Christmas Special, BBC2, review

A hilarious dose of reality at a time of forced schmaltz.

Emily Baker, i Newspaper, 23rd December 2020

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