Catherine Tate

TV preview: Big School

David Walliams, Catherine Tate, Frances De La Tour, Joanna Scanlan, Philip Glenister and that bloke form the BT adverts. You can't fault the cast of Big School, which returns for a second run. The challenge is making something mainstream enought for primetime BBC One but still interesting enough so that the talented performers don't sleepwalk through it.

In the hit-and-miss Woman's Hour 15-Minute Drama slot, this was a jolly show, though it can occasionally seem a little like Rebecca Front's audition tape: "Listen! You don't always have to cast me as a decent, plucky, middle-England type! I can do accents!" And I'd have put this series' episodes in a different order: her first character, Danielle Simmons, a TV reality show star, is a character that has been overdone, and Front's vocal mannerisms were reminiscent of Catherine Tate's. (Can we ban all "satire" about reality shows now, please? There's nothing more to say.) Other characters, such as reluctant whistleblower Helen McKee and equestrian Annabel de Lacy, were more offbeat and better for it. This is all a bit picky, by the way: Incredible Women has a warmth and charm that keeps you listening, as well as lovely writing, so give it a go.

Catriona Knox review

At her best, Catriona Knox comes across as a posher Catherine Tate with added hints of deranged League of Gentlemen darkness.

It's fair to say that Catherine Tate has had an interesting couple of years; from her role in the American version of The Office to acting on the stage, I feel she's come a long way since her sketch show. However this week saw her revive one of her most popular sketch show characters, Joannie Taylor, for a one-off special Nan.

At first I thought Nan would be simply an extended version of the sketch show, but the plot of the programme was fairly endearing. It saw Nan being paired with teenage volunteer Alice (Ami Metcalf) while her grandson (Mathew Horne) is off building a school in Africa. The main thrust of the episode concerns Nan's taps and her constant fights with the council to get it fixed. In her own unique style Nan's interactions with council representative Miss Donnelly (Nikki Wardley) land her in hot water and eventually see her serve two community service orders. Eventually though Nan is able to save the day by allowing her Indian neighbours to host a wedding in her flat.

Anybody who loved Nan's foul language and bad attitude wouldn't have been disappointed by what they saw here. However I was surprised that Tate fleshed out the character especially in constructing a relationship between Nan and Alice. I feel the episode really benefited from the appearance of Ami Metcalf, who so good as the young Kathy Burke in Walking and Talking. Metcalf and Tate made a fine double act and I particularly enjoyed Alice's confrontation with Miss Donnelly. The focus on the bureaucracy at the council was also a story that most people could identify with and they could understand Nan's frustration and the way she dealt with the problem was completely believable.

Ultimately I found Nan to be funny, endearing and a sitcom that was well-paced throughout. If all the episodes are of the same quality as this special then I wouldn't mind seeing Nan return for a full series at some point. But for now I can definitely say that Nan was a big surprise as I didn't see myself enjoying it at all.

Catherine Tate's Nan: More please!

In a recent article I bemoaned returning comedies, but without wishing to step all over my well made points I think Catherine Tate has managed to do it successfully.

Storm over foul-mouthed BBC comedy Catherine Tate's Nan

The BBC faces a fresh storm over Catherine Tate's foul-mouthed and racist comedy character, Nan.

Catherine Tate's Nan entertains on BBC1

Nan is a broad comedy pitched for the huge Mrs Brown's Boys audience; it could have had more bite given Nan's outdated attitudes and beliefs, but the BBC made sure Nan's dentures were removed.

Catherine Tate's Nan review

Most of this year's Christmas comedy specials have felt like barrel-scraping, but Nan could easily hold her own in a full series.

Catherine Tate's fire-breathing old trouble-maker returns to our screens in a marauding one-off. Nan originated in Tate's much-missed sketch show about ten years ago. The sweary outbursts and speak-as-I-find rudeness could make her a one-joke pony, but the caricature is so lovingly detailed it keeps delivering whopping laughs.

Like a playground bully in a brown cardie, she picks on anyone and everyone. Meeting an overweight man in a council waiting room she tells him, "If they ain't gonna fix my taps, I can't see them splashing out on a winch just to get you in the bath" - one of the few lines from the show that's printable. It's good to have her back.

Catherine Tate: My mum hates Nan

Catherine Tate admits her mother hates her character Nan.