Catherine Tate

A nightly season of short autobiographical films featuring some of Britain's best comic talent opens tonight with stories by Victoria Wood and Chris O'Dowd. Dawn French, Stephen Fry, Bill Bailey, Kathy Burke, Jo Brand and Catherine Tate are among those writing, narrating and starring in these seasonal dramatisations of their lives, often with stories recalled from their childhood. It's a bit hit-and-miss. Wood's is on first, though hers is the only story not to feature a younger version of herself. The IT Crowd's O'Dowd follows with an amusing story of why as a boy he thought Santa was a "big weirdo".

Catherine Tate surprised by Daleks and loving the stage

Award winning writer and comedian, Catherine Tate, is winning rave reviews for her performance in Alan Ayckbourn's Seasons Greetings at The National Theatre.

Hands up anyone who's heard of Morgana Robinson. Despite her near invisibility on the comedy radar, Channel 4 has obviously decided Morgana is The Next Big Thing and commissioned an entire series based on... what, exactly?

Judging by the first episode, the answer would appear to be her ability to match Frankie Boyle in the use of the f-word, and her passable imitations of Fearne Cotton and Cheryl Cole. Sadly her own characters are little more than lazy, one-dimensional stereotypes that merely limp off the page.

Robinson's most "famous" creation, 14-year-old Gilbert the uber-nerd who's attempting to make a video diary with the help of his granddad, has apparently already garnered a following on YouTube. Despite the standard-issue geek clothes and inch-thick lenses, however, Gilbert barely passes for 17, never mind 14. Robinson also takes whining teenspeak to such a level that the dialogue is basically indecipherable.

Some sketches, like the bickering TV reporters, are mercifully short. Others, most notably Madolynn the past-it Hollywood starlet making a complete fool of herself in a restaurant, drag on interminably. Vicious drunks are not funny, particularly with lines like "This toe was caressed by Martin Scorsuzu". Even less tasteful is an attempt by her husband Norman to excuse her behaviour. As she topples off her chair, taking the tablecloth and crockery with her, he turns to their mortified companions and mutters "She has Asperger's". Boyle would have been proud.

Equally unlikeable are Joyce and Barry Dickens, funeral directors from Chumley, Yorkshire. Barry is a mine of useless information who never shuts up, much to the annoyance of acid-tongued wife Joyce, who never misses an opportunity to tell him what an absolute cretin he is. "You know the Aztecs used to burn stupid people, Barry". And what could be more hilarious that watching the two of them get all lovey dovey during a memorial service while the poor unfortunate corpse has his legs sticking out because Barry is too much of a dozy git to pick the right size of coffin.

The annoying commuter on a train who shrieks into his mobile the entire journey, a couple of senile Chelsea Pensioners who appear to have wandered in from a Harry Enfield/Paul Whitehouse sketch, Lady Gaga attempting to steer a riding mower in some kind of bizarre headgear - on it goes, all accompanied by the obligatory canned laughter. Heaven knows if it was performed in front of a live audience the silence would have been deafening.

Robinson's talents obviously lie in impersonation rather than straight acting - the highlight, such as it was, of the first programme was a 12-year-old Boris Johnson attempting to win a prep school debate by running roughshod over the opposing team. But alas she is no Catherine Tate - the lack of memorable characters does nothing but drag the show down.

If The Morgana Show had started out as a one-off pilot, and Robinson and co-creator James De Frond had been given a chance to fine-tune the sketches over time, the show might have evolved into something passable. But dumping her in at the deep end with a whole series to fill just highlights the weakness of the material. Back to the drawing board on this one.

Call me easily pleased but from the moment I heard the line 'I'm Fearne Cotton and I'm going to break my face into little pieces! Amazing! Ow!' I was on side with The Morgana Show. Some targets are crying out for a good kicking and every so often Morgana Robinson nailed one.

Morgana who? Exactly. When an unknown comedy talent goes straight from obscurity to a headline show it smacks of behind-the-scenes string-pulling. Robinson's has come courtesy of Russell Brand's agent, a regular at the restaurant where she used to work. But there's a sweet old-school showbiz lilt to that story, so we won't hold it against her.

Besides, if she was rubbish it wouldn't work. But while The Morgana Show, which welds together celeb impressions with character skits out of the Little Britain/Catherine Tate mould, is a hit and mish-mash affair, the best bits will make a great best bits clip on YouTube. The daytime TV presenters who mutter 'like each other, like each other' under their breath while bitching their brains out are at the top of my list.

The smart thing is, at the end of the first episode I had no more idea of what Morgana really looks like than I did at the beginning. Which was zero. Two years down the line, when she's been on everything from Mock The Week to Celebrity Juice and we're sick of the sight of her, the thrill will be gone. For now, she gets the benefit of the doubt.

She's clearly got some talent, Morgana. She does an excellent Fearne Cotton. Really, really good. But then, once she's got her, she doesn't stick the knife in enough. That may be because it's just not possible, come to think of it. There are good moments in here but also signs she could morph into Catherine Tate. Ugh.

Interviews with Caroline Aherne invariably begin with "Caroline Aherne rarely gives interviews." So fans of a self-important actor shouting, "My arse!"* will be delighted to see Caroline and Craig Cash interviewed about the creation of The Royle Family. It's a jolly show with some interesting insights. You can certainly see why they were such a successful writing partnership as they retain the ability to make each other laugh and can barely finish an anecdote without cracking up.

But as with all these GOLD shows, it's somewhat besmirched by annoying talking heads. Thanks Catherine Tate for proving yet again that you're no good at anything. What is the point in this day and age of Catherine bloody Tate? Surely we can move on now?

A repeat of C4's live comedy extravaganza from London's 02 Arena earlier this year in which 23 of our funniest people (and Michael McIntyre) competed to win our laughs in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Charity. Take your pick from Alan Carr, Noel Fielding, Catherine Tate, Bill Bailey, Mitchell & Webb, Jack Dee, Jack Whitehall, Kevin Eldon, Lee Evans, Rob Brydon, Sean Lock, Jo Brand, Jason Manford, Fonejacker, Andy Parsons and Shappi Khorsandi. Phew.

Catherine Tate grated on Buzzcocks

The music quiz show was this week hosted by sketch show queen Catherine Tate on typical grating, nasal form. Come back, Simon Amstell, all is forgiven.

Interview: Ben Miller, comedian, actor

If comedy is all about timing, then I'm no Billy Connolly; we've only just met, and already Ben Miller is clearly trying very hard not to wince. But it turns out that his pain is intensely physical; earlier in the afternoon he was filming a stunt for the Catherine Tate Christmas special and wrenched his shoulder badly. However my timing is still off since I'm the only thing standing between him and a visit to a chiropractor. Stoically he insists it's no problem.

Catherine Tate to star in Radio 4 drama

Play of Hollywood rivalry to feature Catherine Tate as Bette Davis alongside Tracy-Ann Oberman as Joan Crawford.