Joanna Lumley says parents need to ban one thing and teach teenagers 'the basics'

Dame Joanna Lumley is set to charm audiences once again as the quirky and well-meaning grandma Felicity in the new BBC spin-off series Amandaland, following her notable guest roles in the sitcom Motherland.

In this six-part escapade, Felicity's daughter Amanda, portrayed by Lucy Punch, faces a flurry of challenges as a newly divorced mum adapting to life with teenagers, Manus and Georgie, tackling secondary school.

While on screen Amanda grapples with the trials of parenting teens, the Absolutely Fabulous icon Joanna Lumley, 78, believes in a straightforward recipe for raising 21st-century kids. "I’d teach them the basics: be prompt, honest, courteous and grateful," Joanna declares.

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"Always say please and thank you. And get them off their phones. I know it sounds harsh because we created this phone generation and saw the damage, but they’ve become semi-addicted. They’ll feel better without them."

With granddaughters Alice and Emily experiencing their twenties, Joanna insists on the importance of instilling a sense of duty in teenagers, advocating for meaningful household roles over simple tasks like room-tidying.

"I believe in giving them tasks, not just tidying their rooms but real responsibilities, so they understand that in society, you must play your part. Teach them life skills like ironing or cooking."

Though she only graced Motherland from its third season, Joanna swiftly captivated viewers and holds the experience close to her heart, describing it as the "greatest fun".

Joanna Lumley is absolutely thrilled to be working with Lucy again, not just on the small screen but also recalling their time together in the Hollywood flick 'Ella Enchanted'. "Lucy’s so, so talented," gushes Joanna.

"Very beautiful, incredibly sweet-natured, and meticulous in her work. She challenges herself and is a true, serious actor with brilliant comedic timing."

Despite being a beloved TV icon, Joanna isn't much of a telly watcher herself. Instead, she's living her best life in south London, either getting her hands dirty in the garden or indulging in some artsy crafts like découpage.

On the airwaves, she's been captivating listeners with the Radio 4 sitcom 'Conversations From A Long Marriage' alongside Roger Allam, with five series under their belt and fans clamouring for more.

And while she's not one to binge-watch shows, Joanna couldn't resist joining the cast of 'Motherland' after falling in love with the few episodes she'd watched.

"I hardly ever saw it, but what I did see, I adored," she admits. "It was sensational — fresh, unbelievably different, and full of amazing performances."

Joining the 'Amandaland' spin-off from 'Motherland' is Philippa Dunne, reprising her role as Anne, and new faces include 'Gavin And Stacey’s Samuel Anderson, 'Derry Girls’ Siobhán McSweeney, and Peter Serafinowicz as Amanda’s latest beau Johannes.

Joanna is absolutely buzzing about her latest role, gushing over the scripts and casting. She shared, "They’re lovely. Very well written, funny and full of charm. There are some wonderful characters as well, so there’s so much in it. I’m just an incidental part, really."

Her character Felicity has been turning heads with her sharp wit and social climbing antics, and Joanna couldn't agree more: "She’s smart, well-connected, quite posh, and a bit snobbish. She’s amused and amusing, with a little bit of cattiness towards her daughter."

Despite Felicity's imperfections, Joanna feels a connection to her character and was ecstatic to see her return in Amandaland. "You never expect a role like that to come back," she says.

"It was such a treat to see more of her. Like all roles, you ask yourself, ‘Can I inhabit her? Can I bring her to life and make her believable? ’ With Felicity, I thought, ‘Yes, I can do this.’ There’s something about her that I really understood."

Even though Amanda and Felicity have their ups and downs on-screen, Joanna, who has a 57 year old son named James in real life, insists that deep down, there's a lot of love. "They do adore each other, even though they exasperate one another," she reveals.

For Joanna, the cherry on top of this acting gig is the incredible cast, who've inspired her to up her game. She can't help but praise her co-stars, especially Lucy, saying, "Lucy is bang in the middle of it but I can’t tell you how much I adore her and the supporting cast,".

"They’re fabulous. Stunning actors giving phenomenal performances. Lucy would be the first to tell you that when you’re working with good people, everyone’s better for it."

Joanna is also renowned for her captivating travel documentaries, which have taken her to fascinating countries like Japan and India. When asked about her next desired destination, she responds, "Yes, the whole of South America! I’ve never been.The furthest south I’ve gone is Mexico and Belize. Not for any particular reason, but the work I’ve done has taken me more toward the east — Africa, India and the Far East."

Her travels have so far only taken her as far south as Mexico and Belize, with her work often focusing on the east, including Africa, India, and the Far East.

While exploring new places, Joanna adopts a more laid-back attitude, unlike her character Felicity. "If it was first-class everything, Felicity would be fine — amusing and charming," she jokes.

"But she’d leave all the organising, like picking up tickets, to someone else! " Following the immense success of Motherland, Amandaland has high expectations to meet. Nevertheless, Joanna is optimistic about its potential, describing it as "It’s extremely funny, strangely touching, and rather gripping. It’s adorable, it’s a really darling show."