ONE of the stars of hit series Derry Girls is to join the cast of an upcoming spin-off of BBC comedy Motherland.
Siobhán McSweeney, who played Sister Michael in the award-winning Channel 4 comedy, will star as Della in the new show, entitled Amandaland.
She will join up with fellow Derry Girls alumnus Philippa Dunne, who was previously revealed to be reviving her Motherland character Anne, the over-protective Irish mum.
Also joining the cast will be second-generation Irish actor Samuel Anderson, who recently reprised his role as Fingers for the record-breaking Gavin & Stacey finale.
'Talented new cast'
Co-created by Irish star Sharon Horgan, the show will focus on Motherland's Amanda, played by Lucy Punch, as she negotiates life as a mother of two teenagers following her divorce.
Joanna Lumley, who guest starred in Motherland as Amanda's mum Felicity, will also reprise her role.
Horgan, who co-created and co-wrote Motherland, said the recently announced additions will complement the talented returning stars.
Sharon Horgan said she was thrilled to be revisiting characters from Motherland, which she co-created and co-wrote (Image: Alan Chapman / Dave Benett / Getty Images)"I was genuinely sad having to say goodbye to Motherland. There's such a fondness for that show and those characters," she said.
"So it was a real thrill to get to pick up the further adventures of Amanda and Anne, not to mention Felicity.
"Lucy, Phillipa and Joanna are top of their game in these roles and are joined by an incredibly funny and talented new cast.
Second-generation Irish actor Samuel Anderson is among the new faces added to the cast (Image: Tim P. Whitby / Getty Images)"Can't wait to showcase the next challenges of parenthood and the very particular kind of friendship the school gates bring."
Also revealed to be joining the show are Ekow Quartey, who starred alongside Horgan and Irish actress Aisling Bea in the sitcom, This Way Up.
Line of Duty's Rochenda Sandall will star as Fi, while Peter Serafinowicz, who starred in Shaun of the Dead and Guardians of the Galaxy, will play Johannes.
Modern motherhood problems
Amandaland sees Amanda having to downsize and up sticks to South Harlesden, London, following her divorce from husband Johnny.
With her children Manus and Georgie now at secondary school, she has to try and get her head around raising teenagers and dealing with modern motherhood problems.
The series will also explore the slightly unhealthy co-dependent mother-daughter relationship between Felicity and Amanda.
From left: Irish actress Philippa Dunne, Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley will reprise their roles from Motherland (Image: BBC Media Centre)Meanwhile, after a brief spell of freedom, Anne is sucked back into being Amanda's minion to help her navigate the social scene with the other parents at the children's new school.
Amandaland was created by Horgan, second-generation Irish star Barunka O'Shaughnessy, Holly Walsh and Helen Serafinowicz.
O'Shaughnessy, Walsh and Serafinowicz penned the show alongside Laurence Rickard, who starred in and co-wrote the BBC sitcom Ghosts.
It is directed by Alyssa McClelland (Sex Education) and produced by Tim Mannion (Trying).
