Catherine Tate
A highly versatile comedy actress, Catherine has garnered rave reviews, awards and acclaim and has now firmly established herself in the public's subconscious. But is she bovvered? Is her face bovvered though? We found out...
Hi Catherine- is it true you were once in the Royal Shakespeare Company? That's quite highbrow!
"Yes, but I started off in comedy. I'd been doing stand-up at clubs to support myself after college, and that led to the Edinburgh festival and being nominated for a Perrier award. But, just as my comedy career was taking off, I also received an offer to join the RSC. And I couldn't say no to that."
Were you torn between comedy and serious theatre then?
"Yes, very much. I spent a year with the RSC and I'll always value my time there because I love acting and I met my boyfriend while I worked with them, but the lure of comedy was too strong and I had to leave. It was a bit of a gamble, but luckily I got TV work on comedies like Big Train and so on."
How did it feel when you were finally given your very own show? Pleasure or pressure?
"I actually wasn't as nervous as you might expect, because I'd just had a baby and was pretty zonked out and numbed to the world. It was only later, when I was on set, that I realised the enormity of it. I couldn't quite believe I had a show with my name on it. Even when I saw it on TV, part of me didn't believe it was showing on other people's TV sets as well!"
Do you have a comedy idol? We're guessing French, Saunders or perhaps Victoria Wood...
"Definitely has to be Victoria Wood. She's my absolute, all-time favourite performer. I admire her lack of vanity - she's not afraid to make herself look ridiculous for her art. I also love her observational comedy, and the bittersweet edge her humour has."
How did you come up with the characters for your show? They're not real people you've actually met are they?
"They're drawn from real people I've known, but of course I exaggerate and twist people's traits for comic effect. For example, the foul-mouthed granny from my show is a merciless caricature of various older female relatives of mine. I hope they're not offended!"
Finally, what's the one thing you would love to do that you haven't already done?
"I would love to have my own theatre company, because I still have a passion for the stage. Much as I love TV, nothing can compare to treading the boards, and I would love to run a company that specialises in comic plays such as those written by Alan Ayckbourn and Mike Leigh."
"Yes, but I started off in comedy. I'd been doing stand-up at clubs to support myself after college, and that led to the Edinburgh festival and being nominated for a Perrier award. But, just as my comedy career was taking off, I also received an offer to join the RSC. And I couldn't say no to that."
Were you torn between comedy and serious theatre then?
"Yes, very much. I spent a year with the RSC and I'll always value my time there because I love acting and I met my boyfriend while I worked with them, but the lure of comedy was too strong and I had to leave. It was a bit of a gamble, but luckily I got TV work on comedies like Big Train and so on."
How did it feel when you were finally given your very own show? Pleasure or pressure?
"I actually wasn't as nervous as you might expect, because I'd just had a baby and was pretty zonked out and numbed to the world. It was only later, when I was on set, that I realised the enormity of it. I couldn't quite believe I had a show with my name on it. Even when I saw it on TV, part of me didn't believe it was showing on other people's TV sets as well!"
Do you have a comedy idol? We're guessing French, Saunders or perhaps Victoria Wood...
"Definitely has to be Victoria Wood. She's my absolute, all-time favourite performer. I admire her lack of vanity - she's not afraid to make herself look ridiculous for her art. I also love her observational comedy, and the bittersweet edge her humour has."
How did you come up with the characters for your show? They're not real people you've actually met are they?
"They're drawn from real people I've known, but of course I exaggerate and twist people's traits for comic effect. For example, the foul-mouthed granny from my show is a merciless caricature of various older female relatives of mine. I hope they're not offended!"
Finally, what's the one thing you would love to do that you haven't already done?
"I would love to have my own theatre company, because I still have a passion for the stage. Much as I love TV, nothing can compare to treading the boards, and I would love to run a company that specialises in comic plays such as those written by Alan Ayckbourn and Mike Leigh."
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