Lucy Punch: ‘I couldn’t speak when I worked with Jennifer Saunders at 22 years old’

Lucy Punch has a long history of TV and film credits, from Hot Fuzz to St Trinian’s.

But the one we’re all currently most excited for? The Amandaland festive special on BBC One, regarded by many as the TV show to watch this Christmas.

Ahead of its primetime slot on Christmas Day, Metro had the chance to speak to Lucy about her return as the socially ambitious Amanda, a role she first played in the BBC comedy Motherland before earning her own spin-off.

In the upcoming new episode, she stars alongside comedy heavyweight Jennifer Saunders, marking a reunion for the two acting legends after 25 years.

In the Amandaland Christmas episode, the series has moved from leafy Chiswick in West London to South Harlesden in the north of the city – affectionately nicknamed So-Ha by Amanda in an attempt to make it sound as desirable as possible.

For Christmas, Amanda is heading to see her Aunt Joan (Jennifer) in the countryside with her family, alongside her mother Felicity (Dame Joanna Lumley).

It’s the first scripted on-screen reunion since Absolutely Fabulous for Dame Joanna and Jennifer, and promises to be just as delightful as you’d hope.

In 1999, Lucy, 47, acted alongside Jennifer, 67, in Let Them Eat Cake, a sitcom set in the Palace of Versailles.

At the time, Jennifer and their fellow co-star Dawn French were at peak popularity thanks to their hit sketch show French and Saunders, and Lucy admitted she was ‘starstruck’.

So, how was it working with Jennifer over 25 years later?

‘Even better,’ Lucy told Metro. ‘Because when I worked with her the first time, I was about 22 and [couldn’t speak] because I was so excited and so impressed.’

Nonetheless, the allure of working with a comedy icon as renowned as the Friends star hadn’t worn off completely.

‘I sort of got it together this time round, fractionally more, at least,’ she added.

While rehearsing for the Amandaland Christmas special with Jennifer, Lucy made an important observation that helped her figure out when she had nailed her scenes.

‘You’re gauging stuff as you’re rehearsing with her, going: “Oh, this is making Jennifer laugh. I’ll be sure to do more of that,”‘ she recalled.

Amandaland is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated shows to watch this Christmas – but luckily for fans of the BBC sitcom, it’s back for another series in 2026.

‘People will enjoy it as much, if not more,’ the lead star promised. ‘All the characters have now become more developed. They’ve got more of their own storylines, and so I think that’ll be really fun.’

Amanda made her TV debut in 2016 in the first series of Motherland, which starred Anna Maxwell Martin as the lead character Julia Johnstone.

While Amanda is a shameless social climber who’s desperate to be liked, is quick to judge others and is a bully to her ‘friend’ Anne, it might come as no surprise that she’s a whole lot of fun to play.

‘I always liked the scenes where I’m bullying Anne, because I feel like that’s where she started,’ Lucy admitted.

‘She was the high school bully. So that dynamic with Anne was the springboard as she’s developed over the years. That relationship and dynamic is really fun.’

Aside from her less favourable attributes, Lucy found some traits that she is proud to say she has in common with Amanda, including her ‘determination’.

‘She’s quite determined, and will reframe stuff when things are going badly, maybe even to the point of being delusional and thinking: “This is going to be great. Everything’s going to work out,”‘ she outlined.

For Lucy, it appears they did.

The actress dropped out of university, where she was studying History of Art and French, to pursue acting full-time when she got her role on Let Them Eat Cake.

‘I kept thinking, “I’ll go back [to university]”, and then I got another job, and then I got another job, and then all my friends had graduated, and I realised: “Oh, this is what I’m doing now, I guess. I didn’t get my degree, so I’d better work hard and try to make a go of it.”‘

After moving to the US in her 20s, she starred in films including St. Trinians, Bad Teacher with Cameron Diaz, Ella Enchanted with Anne Hathaway and Into the Woods with Meryl Streep.

Following her move to the States, Lucy noticed a significant difference in the way that the entertainment industry operated in the UK and across the pond.

‘The industry here [in the UK] feels like it’s cosier and warmer,’ she noted.

‘I’ve worked on a lot of projects out there. People get fired, and it can be brutal. But it’s not any more brutal than any other business. 

‘It’s entertainment, and it’s fun when you get to do it. There are lots of great, wonderful things about getting to be an actor, but it is also a business.’

Amandaland, Christmas Special airs on BBC One at 9.15pm on Christmas Day.

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