British Comedy Guide
The Catherine Tate Show. Catherine Tate
The Catherine Tate Show

The Catherine Tate Show

  • TV sketch show
  • BBC Two
  • 2004 - 2009
  • 21 episodes (3 series)

Popular sketch show starring Catherine Tate as a range of characters, including a rude nan and a talkative teenager. Also features Mathew Horne, Niky Wardley, Ella Kenion, Rebecca Front, Angela McHale and more.

  • Series 1, Episode 1 repeated Friday 9th August at 10pm on U&W
  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 3,898

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Series 1, Episode 1

A young couple has to live in their car for their baby's sake, Claire is 'not drunk enough' and Nan accuses a social worker of stealing her clothes. Also, is Beyoncé "bling bling" or "bing bing"?

Further details

At the breakfast table, a man reads the newspaper and the woman looks into the garden. As soon as he turns the page she screams, scared. The same for when he puts down his coffee mug and when he eats his toast. Then she turns around and puts some milk into her Rice Krispies. Then she starts to scream again as her cereal start to pop.

At night, a couple is walking home. At her door they say goodbye. They kiss and he asks if he can come in, but she tells him that she's not drunk enough to let him in (which would imply more than just a coffee). He asks if she doesn't like him. She says she does, but she isn't drunk enough to find him attractive. He asks why she isn't drunk, which leads her to explain that she can barely stand because she's so drunk, but she ain't drunk enough yet. He is upset as they were at a beer festival. Turns out her liver is already so damaged she might die within a year - and that only because she likes him, but doesn't find him attractive enough. She says goodnight. He hands her another beer and tells her to call him.

In the train, two schoolgirls and a boy talk about some TV show. One of them misunderstood "Bling Bling" and say "bing, bing". However as she puts it, she ain't bovvered by her own mistake. Then they argue about shutting up. The argument ends with Lauren's phone "binging".

In the lawyer's office, a woman asks her lawyer some details about an ongoing process. He explains to her as long as she isn't honest, he can't help her. He goes over to her. Then she forgets her lines and the take of the show production comes in. They take a break, the next day, the woman suddenly has huge lips. He asks if everything was the same yesterday, so they go back into their roles. Then he has to kiss her, those completely disfigured lips.

Jamie meets his nan. She explains as it's cold inside it must be cold outside as well. He turns on the fireplace. Then she complains right away that it's too hot in there. She explains her home help from Poland - "one of them odd-mark countries, anyway" - was here today. Nan doesn't like her. Nan accuses her that she is stealing. She explains she hates social services. Then they turn on the TV: Emmerdale - apparently the fat girl off the show is presenting a new programme, called Huge Big Frame. Jamie corrects her and says that programme is actually called You've Been Framed.

The Aga Saga Woman and her two children sit at the breakfast table. The boy just dropped the egg cleaver on the floor and now it's dirty and his sister hasn't topped her egg yet. The mother calls Alice, the babysitter. Alice has to use public transport - a taxi - to get home and turn on the dishwasher. The girl screams because her egg can't breathe and that they are all cursed. The mother screams that they are all going to die.

A young couple drives up to some friend's house, but there's one problem: the baby only sleeps when the car is on.

At the office, Ellen is eating cake. Kate asks her if that's cake or not. So they chat about the cake. Kate then forces Ellen to guess how much weight she lost within a week now. All answers freak her out as insulting. Then she grabs the cake and eats it. "Happy now?! "

The easily scared woman is searching her mobile. So he has to call hers. When it rings, it makes her jump.

The young couple with the baby eat their soup in the car, as the engine has to be running for the baby. He drops his soup when somebody knocks on the window, but he can't scream, otherwise the baby would wake up.

In the office, the two women now talk about Easter and film extras in Ben Hur.

A couple are in bed together, both reading. Both argue over some names of work colleagues. They argue about Lisa. Then she suddenly wants a dog: a Spaniel - a Prince Charles Spaniel. She thinks it's a bit much, calling the dog a Prince Charles Spaniel, just because he's got big ears. After a while, they discover that the dig is actually a King Charles Spaniel. Then she calls Shelly, who simply "won't believe what has happened to them".

The young family argue over opening the presents. Their friends join them now in the car.

The easily scared woman is in the kitchen drinking a glass of orange juice, when the toasts come out, she lets go of the glass.

On a junkyard, there's a dead man. Two police officers argue if he's dead. She explains everything could just be the imagination of someone. Then she starts to sing about her imagination. He has to join her. They sing "Brass In Pocket" together.

At the office, Kate and Ellen talk about a flat Kate might get. She got it 500 pounds under the listed price.

Notes

Michael Brandon was billed as special guest star.

Broadcast details

Date
Monday 16th February 2004
Time
10pm
Channel
BBC Two
Length
30 minutes

Upcoming repeats

  1. Friday 9th August 2024 at 10:00pm on U&W

Cast & crew

Cast
Catherine Tate Various
Mathew Horne Various
Niky Wardley Various
Ella Kenion Various
Rebecca Front 'Elaine Figgis' Documentary Narrator
Angela McHale Various
Bruce Mackinnon Various
Jonathan McGuinness Various
Derren Litten Various
James Holmes Various
Guest cast
Michael Brandon Guest
Lee Ross Ensemble Actor
JJ Bee (as Jonathan Bee) Ensemble Actor
Francesca Isherwood Ensemble Actor
Writing team
Catherine Tate Writer
Aschlin Ditta Writer
Derren Litten Writer
Mathew Horne Writer
Arthur Mathews Writer
Bruce Mackinnon Writer
Production team
Gordon Anderson Director
Geoffrey Perkins Producer
Jo Hunter Line Producer
Chris Wadsworth Editor
Mykola Pawluk Editor
Jo Sutherland Production Designer
Sarah Crowe Casting Director
John Sorapure Director of Photography
Lucia Santa-Maria Costume Designer
Vanessa White Make-up Designer
Christopher Clayton (as Chris Clayton) Lighting Designer
Lee Trevor 1st Assistant Director

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