Shetland actor to star in massive BBC Xmas special

Samuel Anderson, who stars as Matt Blake in BBC’s Shetland, will be appearing on TV screens on Christmas day in the Amandaland special Shetland star Samuel Anderson is set to bring festive cheer to screens this December, staring in the highly anticipated Christmas special of Amandaland, the spin-off from the hugely popular sitcom Motherland. Samuel joined the cast of the BBC crime drama Shetland earlier this year, playing Matt Blake, the new procurator fiscal who arrived in for the tenth season following DI Ruth Calder’s return to the island. Now, he is swapping intense investigations for some festive comedy chaos. In Amandaland he plays Mal, the charming single dad who lives in the flat below Amanda, the hilarious recently divorced mother portrayed by Lucy Punch. Mal finds himself constantly caught up in her antics, both at home and at the school gates, as Amanda tends to navigate parenthood in her own chaotic way. The Christmas special, which was announced last month, will see Absolutely Fabulous stars Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders reunite on screen for the first time since they portrayed the iconic Edina Monsoon and Pasty Stone in Ab Fab. Set to be released on Christmas Day, Samuels character Mel is described as the handsome neighbour and when the show first debuted in February this year viewers were quick to comment on their excitement of his starring in the show. At the time, one viewer took to X (formally known as Twitter), writing: “Watching Amandaland. So funny. Also her neighbour is so yummm.” As a second said: “Need more of Amandaland ASAP and so here for the Amanda/Mal slow burn.” Although it is not clear whether Amanda and Mal’s relationship will turn into something more during the Christmas special, it is clear that its something the fans are rooting for. It has been a busy year for Samuel, with his role as Matt in Shetland and his appearance in Amandaland, now leading to the upcoming Christmas special. While these may be his most known roles to date, he is no stranger to the small screen and has built an extensive TV career over the years. The 42-year-old actor started his acting career on stage, staring in The History Boys alongside Richard Griffiths and James Cordon, before going on to star in its 2006 film adaptation. Although much of his career to date has unfolded on TV, where he has steadily built an impressive resume. He made his TV debut in the drama Hex back in 2004, before going on to star in Gavin and Stacey as the character Craig, more commonly known by his nickname Fingers, appearing as one of Gavin and Smithy’s best friends throughout the three series. In 2007, the same year Gavin and Stacey aired, he appeared in the ITV soap Emmerdale as Ross Kirk, remaining as a series regular until January 2009. His character had major storylines including having an affair with Donna Windsor-Dingle and his wrongful imprisonment for the murder of Shane Doyle. Other notable works of Samuels include Trollied, Netflix’s Another Life and Doctor Who.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/tv/shetland-actor-star-massive-bbc-36310732

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