Tate, Catherine (1968– )

English actor and comedian. She became widely known in the UK for her eponymous comedy sketch series The Catherine Tate Show (2004–06) and went on to appear in a number of roles on television, stage, and film.

She won several awards for The Catherine Tate Show, including British Comedy Awards for best comedy newcomer (2004) and best television comedy actress (2006). Her range of characters on the series includes surly adolescent Lauren Cooper, who coined the popular phrase ‘Am I bovvered?’ (a corruption of ‘bothered’), and foul-mouthed grandmother Nan Taylor. Other television appearances include Bleak House (2005) and Doctor Who (2006 and 2008).

Tate was born in Bloomsbury, London, and trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama 1990–93. After guest appearances on popular television series such as the police drama The Bill, she turned to stand-up comedy in 1996, appearing in comedy series with contemporaries such as Harry Hill (1964– ), Peter Kay (1973– ), and Lee Mack (1968– ). She followed with a sold-out one-woman show at the Edinburgh Festival in 2001. Tate also appeared on stage for the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, and in a West End run of Neil LaBute's comedy Some Girl(s) (2005) with David Schwimmer. The following year she appeared in several comedy films including Love and Other Disaster, Starter for 10, Sixty Six, and Scenes of a Sexual Nature. In 2007 she starred in the television drama The Bad Mother's Handbook and the feature film Mrs Ratcliffe's Revolution.