Lucy Punch says she won’t get plastic surgery as Amandaland Christmas special looms

Lucy Punch has told The Sunday Times she is not tempted by plastic surgery, saying that comedy actors 'need humanity in their face.' The 47-year-old Amandaland star, who lives in Los Angeles with her family, portrays the titular Amanda in the BBC show that will soon air its Christmas special. Punch, who has built a reputation for playing sharp, humane characters, offered a measured critique of Hollywood’s current aesthetic tempo, describing a landscape where many celebrities appear to have been retouched into something close to artificial intelligence. 'Everyone in LA looks like AI,' she said, adding that she has not felt the need to alter her face to stay in work.

Punch described a recent night out in Los Angeles with friends, noting that the women she saw were 'gorgeous' and beautiful but, in her words, 'almost AI.' She emphasized that while there is enormous pressure on movie stars to maintain a certain image, a degree of humanity in a performer’s face remains essential for comedy and character work. 'I understand for, you know, movie stars there’s a huge pressure, but I think that you need to have some humanity in your face. And that’s really important for a character or comedy actor. I can’t do anything to my face because I feel like that’s not what’s got me jobs.'

The interview arrives as the BBC released the first trailer for the Amandaland Christmas special last week. The series—born from the widely praised Motherland run that aired from 2016 to 2022—follows Amanda Hughes, a recently divorced mother navigating parenting, romance and school-parent dynamics. The festive edition promises a reunion of the core cast as Amanda confronts family and friends over the holidays, with fans eager to see how the spin-off expands the original’s world.

In the trailer, Amanda, her mum Felicity Sanderson (Joanna Lumley) and her friend Anne Flynn (Philippa Dunne) head to Aunt Joan’s country house for a Christmas gathering. Moments teased on screen include a scene in which Amanda presents a gift to her aunt only to be questioned by a bemused Anne. A line from a tense moment—'What do I deserve to know?'—hints at the emotional stakes that underpin the festive instalment. These exchanges underscore the series’ blend of warmth and wry humor as the characters grapple with family dynamics during the holidays.

The BBC has publicly framed Amandaland as a successor to Motherland, with Lucy Punch continuing the show’s tradition of balancing chaotic family life with sharp social observation. Joanna Lumley, who plays Amanda’s mother Felicity, teased during media appearances that the project would deliver seven more episodes, including a Christmas special. Lumley’s comments came as the project was preparing to roll out seven new episodes, underscoring the continuity between the two series even as Amandaland carves out its own festive identity.

Amandaland is written by Holly Walsh, Helen Serafinowicz, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Laurence Rickard, and directed by Simon Bird and Alyssa McClelland. The show’s collaboration with a seasoned team of writers and directors aligns with the Motherland tradition, which combined sharp wit with affectionate portraiture of parenthood under pressure. The Christmas frame is set to bring together beloved characters including Amanda, her mother and long-standing friends as they navigate the social and logistical complexities of the holiday season.

Since its debut on BBC One in February, Amandaland has drawn strong viewership, with the spin-off contributing to the BBC’s continued success in creating accessible, ensemble-driven comedy. Motherland’s original run, spanning 2016 to 2022, established the show as a standout entry in the UK’s comedy landscape, lauded for its character-driven humor and candid depiction of modern parenting in a high-pressure environment. Amandaland, while distinct, benefits from the franchise’s established voice and the familiarity of its core ensemble, translating the Motherland DNA into new stories and scenarios for contemporary audiences.

The Amandaland Christmas Special will air on Christmas Day at 9:15 p.m. on BBC One and iPlayer, with fans counting down to the culmination of Amanda’s latest holiday misadventures. The project’s festive framing, combined with Punch’s commitment to a naturalistic performance style, positions the special as a bridge between the show’s mother series and a broader holiday audience seeking warmth, humor and a sense of shared little crises that come with family gatherings. As Punch noted in her broader reflections on aging, art, and performance, the human face—unadorned and relatable—remains an essential ingredient for comedy that resonates with viewers year after year.