Posted By John Bowman

The first preview night of Under The Blue Sky had to be scrapped yesterday after cast member Catherine Tatesuffered an ankle injury.

What caused the injury - sustained during the last dress rehearsal - is unknown but BBC News said it was hoped the actress would be well enough to take to the stage tonight.

The results of an X-ray are being awaited.

The play, by David Eldridge, is on at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End.

UPDATE - 18 July: Today's Sun carried a report saying that Tate was performing the play aided by a crutch. It said she had twisted her ankle in a fall during rehearsals.

Donna Noble actress Catherine Tate is to star in the upcoming West End production of Under the Blue Sky.

David Eldridge's award-winning, funny and touching play portrays three subtly connected love stories that reveal in turn the roller-coaster ride of lust in its prime, the sacrifices of a life in public service and its unrequited passions.

As Michelle, the hilariously promiscuous 38-year-old maths teacher who has just been dumped by the love of her life, Tate strips off for a revenge sex scene with her nerdy teacher colleague. "She doesn’t apologise for having slept with all these people," says Tate. "I think it’s very honest and refreshing to have someone who goes, 'Yeah, I have a lot of sex.' It just strips away the nonsense."

Tate is very thankful to Russell T. Davies and her success on television, including Doctor Who, for bringing her more theatrical roles. "Now theatre people say: 'Would you like to come and do a play?' When I went to drama school that was all I really wanted to do. You don't go there to learn how to act on TV and film."

She credits Davies for taking what she calls a "gamble to take on someone like me who is known, by the vast majority of people, for wearing wigs and comedy teeth."

The play runs for ten weeks beginning 15 July at the Duke of York's Theatre, St. Martin's Lane, London.

For more information about the play, tickets, and video interviews with the cast, please visit the official website athttp://www.underthebluesky.co.uk/

To read the full interview with Tate, go to thisislondon.co.uk.

Posted By John Bowman

Catherine Tate will be appearing in London's West End this summer in the play Under The Blue Sky.

It is being staged at The Duke of York's Theatre, in St Martin's Lane, from Tuesday, July 15 until Saturday, September 20.

The play, by David Eldridge, consists of three love stories that are connected subtly. Tate will be appearing with Francesca Annis, Lisa Dillon, Chris O'Dowd and Dominic Rowan.

Her previous theatre credits have included Some Girls at The Gielgud Theatre, with David Schwimmer, as well as The 24 Hour Plays at The Old Vic.

An investigation by the British broadcasting industry regulator OfCom has found that Doctor Who star Catherine Tate was unfairly denied the People's Choice Award at the 2005 British Comedy Awards, screened on the ITV network. The recipient of the award was to have been decided by a telephone vote from viewers.

BBC News reports that even though Tate won the most votes in the category, the prize was given to presenting duoAnt and Dec. This was done because pop star Robbie Williams had agreed to attend the ceremony and present a prize, but would only do so if it could be for Ant and Dec. As they had not won any of the jury-decided categories, it was decided that they should win the audience award to ensure Williams's attendance.

The Times quotes a spokesman for Tate as saying that the actress was an "innocent bystander" in the matter, and had no desire to comment. Ant and Dec have said that they will return their award, which will presumably now be given to Tate.

Posted By John Bowman

David Tennant and Catherine Tate will be star speakers later this year at the Times Cheltenham Literary Festival, it was announced today.

They will talk about working with the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as on Doctor Who.

The event runs from October 10 to 19. Precise dates for appearances have yet to be announced.

Reported by thelondonpaper and the Press Association.

Posted By John Bowman

Catherine Tate will be heard interviewing David Tennant on BBC Radio 4 on February 21 when Chain Reaction returns for a new series.

In it, they talk about working on Doctor Who - as well as playing extras on The Bill.

The show's format sees the interviewee becoming the interviewer of a different guest the following week, with them talking to people whose work they admire and appreciate.

Next week (February 28), Tennant will be interviewing Richard Wilson, who played Dr Constantine in The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances, while Wilson's interviewee the week after that (March 6) will be Arabella Weir, who used to lodge with Tennant and made him godfather to her youngest child.

Weir also played the Doctor in the Big Finish drama Exile - which featured Tennant playing an unnamed Time Lord and a pub landlord. (Weir will round off the series of Chain Reaction by interviewing fellow Fast Show star Paul Whitehouse.)

The half-hour programmes start at 6.30pm. The series was recorded last year.

(With thanks to Jeremy Bentham.)

In an article on BBC News published this morning, Catherine Tate says that the upcoming fourth Doctor Who series will be her last, and that it "could be the last for actor David Tennant" according to comments she made this morning on the Radio 2 Jonathan Ross programme. "I think it's maybe David's last series." The article notes that the BBC refuses to comment on Mr Tennant's future as the show's star. When pressed on whether Tennant would return to play the timelord in special Dr Who shows in future, Tate replied: "Possibly."

To listen to Tate's interview on the Jonathan Ross show, follow this link and click on "Listen again". The Catherine Tate segment begins approximately 2 hours 37 minutes into the program.

The BBC News article also quotes Kylie Minogue in Doctor Who Magazine as saying her appearance in the forthcoming Christmas special is "like stepping back in time. I really felt at home being back in the world of TV. I've definitely got the acting bug again!"

Doctor Who star Catherine Tate is taking action against a Christian group which used catchphrases from her BBC Two sketch show without permission, reports BBC News. Tate is one of a number of British comedy stars, including Matt Lucas and Big Finish / Doctor Who Night actor David Walliams of "Little Britain" fame, taking action against the organisation.

Christian Publishing Outreach (CPO) employed slogans used by Tate's characters, such as "Am I bovvered?" and "How very dare you!", alongside excerpts from the Bible on a series of posters made commercially available to church groups for twenty-five pounds per set. The posters were aimed at attracting the attention of younger people.

Tiger Aspect Productions, the company which produces Tate's award-winning sketch show The Catherine Tate Showfor BBC Two, confirmed to BBC News that they had sought legal proceedings on her behalf. CPO has withdrawn its posters from sale.

The official BBC Doctor Who website has announced that comedienne and actress Catherine Tate, who guest starred in the 2006 Christmas episode The Runaway Bride, is to return to the role of Donna Noble as a full-time companion of the Doctor throughout the fourth series of Doctor Who in 2008.

Executive producer Russell T Davies is quoted by the site as saying: "Catherine was an absolute star in The Runaway Bride and we are delighted that one of Britain's greatest talents has agreed to join us for the fourth series. Viewers can expect more ambitious storylines and a whole host of guest stars in 2008."

Tate herself added that: "I am delighted to be returning to Doctor Who. I had a blast last Christmas and look forward to travelling again through time and space with that nice man from Gallifrey."

Tate replaces Freema Agyeman (Martha) as a regular cast member; Agyeman will appear in several episodes later in the season, and three episodes ofTorchwood.

The Press Association today syndicated a story about both Tate and Kylie Minogue appearing in the series.

Update: This story has featured in a number of newspapers today, including The Guardian, The Sun, The Independent, The Times, and The Mirror, as well as BBC News.

David Tennant is reuniting with The Runaway Bride co-star Catherine Tate for Comic Relief but probably not as the Doctor.

The BBC press office says Tate has teamed up with Tennant and Lenny Henry plus other surprise guests for some new sketches.

Red Nose Day 2007 - on Friday, March 16 - will also see Simon Pegg (The Long Game),Davina McCall (Bad Wolf), Trinny Woodall (Bad Wolf), Maureen Lipman (The Idiot's Lantern) and Peter Kay (Love and Monsters) involved in the fund-raising drive to help vulnerable people in the UK and Africa.

It is being screened on BBC1 from 7pm to approximately 3.05am on Saturday, with a 35-minute break for the news at 10pm.