Motherland season 3 release date: Your guide to the BBC Two comedy
Sharon Horgan's comedy about parenting and Alpha Mums is back for a third (school) run.
BBC Two has confirmed the release date for the third season of Motherland, once again exploring school-gate politics and middle class parenting.
The Sharon Horgan-produced BBC comedy will return in May 2021, and the broadcaster released a first-look trailer.
The 30-second clip includes our first look at Joanna Lumley in her guest role as Felicity, mother to 'Alpha Mum' Amanda (Lucy Punch).
Season three also sees the return of lead actress Anna Maxwell Martin as a mother juggling a freelance business with playdates and sports days.
Hot on the heels of the show's hilarious first Christmas special, season three will see the gang tackle a "nit pandemic, a school trip, and Mother's Day". In RadioTimes.com Motherland review the season three return is dubbed a "punchy pandemic parody".
Read on for everything you need to know about Motherland season three.
When is Motherland season three on TV?
Motherland returns on Monday 10th May at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Motherland’s second series launched in October 2019, coinciding with the show's renewal for a third series.
What is Motherland about?
The series follows a motley collection of school mums (and one people-pleasing dad) navigating the highs and lows of parenting. Julia is attempting to juggle her workload with motherhood, but her efforts feel increasingly inferior compared to those of the Alpha Mums and newcomer Meg, a high-flying businesswoman.
Catastrophe star and writer Horgan returns to pen the series alongside Holly Walsh, and Barunka O’Shaughnessy, who replaces series one writer Graham Linehan (The IT Crowd).
“The sheer amount of top-of-their game comedy brains both in front and behind camera in one show is staggering,” said Shane Allen, the BBC’s controller of comedy commissioning.
“Series two has the sharpest and paciest writing which places our relentlessly inept ensemble into ever-inventive heights of degradation.”
He continued: “We want more and we want it as soon as possible. This is a show that will run for as long as the team are able to keep making it and is the easiest commissioning decision this side of renewing Coronation Street.”
“Making the second series of Motherland was even more therapeutic than the first,” Horgan said. “We gratefully accept Shane Allen’s offer of further treatment courtesy of the BBC.”
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
Who stars in Motherland?
Line of Duty and Bleak House actress Anna Maxwell Martin leads the cast as Julia, a harried mother-of-two trying to take each day as it comes. Comedian Diane Morgan (Frayed, Afterlife) and Paul Ready (Bodyguard) play Julia's friends, single-mother Liz and keen stay-at-home dad Kevin.
Lucy Punch (Ella Echanted) plays recently divorced 'Alpha Mum' Amanda, while Philippa Dunne (Derry Girls) plays Amanda's doormat (but good-natured) sidekick.
Tanya Moodie (A Discovery of Witches) also joined the cast in series two as high-flying (but secret party girl) mother Meg.
Joanna Lumley is also set to guest star as Amanda's obnoxious mother, Felicity, whom her daughter must endure Mother's Day lunch with.
On playing Amanda’s mum, Joanna said: “I have played Lucy’s mother before, in the film 'Ella Enchanted': so it was a special treat to pitch up again as another fairly poisonous parent in Motherland. Although I was only in for a day it was the greatest fun to be with that dangerously talented cast."
Paul Ready has also joked his real life wife could play Kevin's wife in Motherland. Speaking to RadioTimes.com he said: “I was saying this to someone the other day, each time a series airs and I’m walking down the road with my wife, she’s always saying, ‘They think I’m Jill.’ So maybe my wife could play Jill.”
As she's Olivier award winning Michelle Terry that'd be a great addition to the Motherland cast!
Is there a trailer for Motherland season 3?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Motherland season three.
We will keep this page updated with all the latest Motherland season 3 news. If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide.
