Catherine Tate (born Catherine Ford 12 May 1968) "blank">Catherine Tate: The shy star". _The Independent. Retrieved August 10, 2007. is an English comedienne and actress best known for her BBC Two sketch comedy series, The Catherine Tate Show. Following its success, Tate played Donna Noble in the 2006 Christmas special of Doctor Who and is now set to reprise the role to become the Doctor's companion throughout series four in 2008. "blank">Tate to be Doctor's companion". _BBC News. Retrieved July 4, 2007. She has won numerous awards for her work on The Catherine Tate Show and has been nominated for an Emmy Award and four BAFTA Awards.

The Catherine Tate Show is an award-winning British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate who stars in all of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC. Collectively, the show has been nominated for six BAFTA Awards, two British Comedy Awards and an Emmy Award, and it has won two Royal Television Society Awards, two British Comedy Awards and a National Television Award since its debut in 2004.

It took three and a half hours each day for Catherine Tate to be made up as "Gran".

Has a daughter with her long-term partner. Erin was born in Februrary 2003.

Catherine is a graduate of the Central School of Speech and Drama, and Royal National Theatre

She spent a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company before she turned to stand- up comedy

Catherine became pregnant before filming "Wild West" (2002) and in the first series is very clearly showing under the baggy cardigans and hippy clothes she wears to play Angela.

Raised by her mother, Josephine. She has had no contact with her father at all. Josephine had left him before Catherine was born

Her famous fans include Dawn French, 'Paul OGrady, Ricky Gervais and Peter Kay (I).

Catherine grew up in Bloomsbury's iconic Brunswick Centre.

Former member of the National Youth Theatre.

"If in five years' time the only thing that I've done that is remembered is a teenager saying, 'Am I bovvered?' then I'd worry.".

In early July 2007, it was announced that she would be the new companion for Doctor Who, reprising her role as Donna Noble from the 2006 Christmas episode. She will join David Tennant (the Doctor) and Freema Agyeman, the previous companion, will join them halfway through the series.

At three years older than David Tennant (I), she becomes the first person to play a Doctor Who companion who is actually older than the actor playing the Doctor she accompanies.