‘The Parents Behave Like Children'

Anna Maxwell Martin on how the arrival of a new face at school is set to change her much-loved sitcom.

- Caren Clark

NEW COMEDY

Motherland MONDAY / BBC2 / 10PM (NI, 11.15PM)

Standing outside a west London primary school, TV Times can feel the tension in the air. But it’s not coming from the youngsters – instead it’s created by their parents, who are childishly bickering over the school’s charity tea towel and bragging about having a personal assistant.

We’re on set for the second series of BBC2’s parenting comedy Motherland, watching Anna Maxwell Martin film a scene as harassed mum Julia, who, along with laid-back Liz (Diane Morgan) and nervy dad Kevin (Paul Ready), is once again negotiating childcare, playground politics and trying to avoid pushy alpha mum Amanda (Lucy Punch).

As the school bell clangs, we sit down with Line of Duty star Anna, 42, for her report on what to expect…

How is Julia this series?