Amandaland to return for Red Nose Day and there are some very exciting guests

The infamous Amanda will be joined by other famous Amandas in what is set to be an unmissable sketch

Lucy Punch as Amanda in Amandaland
(Image credit: BBC/Merman/Natalie Seery)

Ever since we tuned into the Amandaland Christmas special, we've been waiting for news of season 2 of the epic comedy to return.

While the BBC remain tight-lipped about exactly when this will be, they have just revealed that Lucy Punch will return to screens as Amanda this week, for a very special reason.

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It's A Sin star Lydia West takes the role of Sara Cox’s overwhelmed radio producer for the sketch, while Things You Should Have Done's Lucia Keskin plays the production runner.

Amanda smiles, wearing a trench coat and football scarf, in Amandaland

(Image credit: BBC/Merman/Natalie Seery)

Speaking about what taking part in the sketch means to her, Sara Cox says, "I was playing the DJ, so it wasn’t that much of a stretch, but it was just brilliant to work with actual Amanda from Amandaland, and so many iconic Amandas."

She adds, "I mean come on, we had Lamb, we had Holden, we had Barrie – who I grew up with, not literally – but on Coronation Street. So, it’s been an incredible time pretending to be an actor and getting to work with amazing Lydia West who was playing my producer. I’m absolutely buzzing!"

Amanda Holden was also interviewed about her part in the sketch. She says, "I can’t quite believe I’m involved in this Amandaland sketch for Comic Relief and I’m going now to meet the rest of the cast!"

The presenter continues, "I am a massive, massive fan of Amandaland. We watch it religiously in our house, so it’s a little bit of an out of body experience for me, especially because my name gets mentioned in the sitcom quite a bit!"

Philippa Dunne who plays the brilliant Anne, has also had her say about the sketch. "It’s a great honour to be asked, and any chance to do a bit of Amanda and Anne stuff is always fun as far as I’m concerned," she shares.

Philippa continues, "We could perform Amanda and Anne in our sleep, but the main thing is we just really love it. We just have the utmost fun when we’re doing those two characters because we get to be silly, so it’s really nice."

Comic Relief: Funny for Money is live on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on Friday 20 March from 7pm.

Lucy Wigley
Entertainment Writer

Lucy is a multi-award nominated writer and blogger with seven years’ experience writing about entertainment, parenting and family life. Lucy worked as a freelance writer and journalist at the likes of PS and moms.com, before joining GoodtoKnow as an entertainment writer, and then as news editor. The pull to return to the world of television was strong, and she was delighted to take a position at woman&home to once again watch the best shows out there, and tell you why you should watch them too.

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