It was previously reported that dance-pop singer and actress Kylie Minogue would be appearing in the fourth season of
Doctor Who. Minogue has been given a lead role in the show’s upcoming Christmas special.
Last Wednesday, the BBC announced that another celebrity is set to appear in the forthcoming episodes of the revived comedy series. Comedienne Catherine Tate, who played the runaway bride in last season’s Christmas special, will reprise her role on the show on a regular basis. Tate’s re-casting means that the tenth Doctor (
David Tennant) will have two companions in the fourth season, one being Tate's Donna and the other being Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman).
"I am delighted to be returning to
Doctor Who,” Catherine Tate said. “I had a blast last Christmas and look forward to traveling again through time and space with that nice man from Gallifrey.”
The 39-year-old comedienne and actress is most known for her sketch comedy series, The Catherine Tate Show. In it, she portrays a wide array of characters, including apathetic adolescent Lauren Cooper and cockney grandmother Joannie “Nan” Taylor. Her work on the show has earned her several recognitions, such as a 2004 British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Newcomer and a 2006 British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Actress.
In last year’s Christmas special of
Doctor Who, "The Runaway Bride," Catherine Tate's character, Donna, mysteriously vanished as she prepared to marry her boyfriend in a ceremony on Christmas Eve. Donna later reappeared in the TARDIS, the Doctor’s time machine and spacecraft. On the way to the church, it was revealed that Donna was the key to a primeval alien plan to annihilate the planet.
"Catherine was an absolute star in 'The Runaway Bride,'” executive producer Russell T. Davies said. "We are delighted that one of Britain's greatest talents has agreed to join us for the fourth series.”
The third season’s Christmas special was shown in the US last Friday, courtesy of the SCI-FI channel. The cable network first started airing the revived comedy series in 2006.
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: BBC, RTE Entertainment
(Image Courtesy of the BBC)