Catherine Tate's Nan

Catherine Tate's Nan follows one of the comedian's most notorious creations, a potty-mouthed, sharp-tongued granny, as a minor household problem spirals into public chaos. After her kitchen tap breaks, Nan goes to the local council to arrange a repair, but the trip becomes a showcase for her bracing insults and unpredictable behavior. The episode moves through short, punchy scenes that let Nan dominate every interaction, turning bureaucratic procedure into a battleground of attitudes. Familiar faces like Jamie and Alice appear in supporting turns, offering family reactions that contrast with Nan's abrasive exterior, while moments of unexpected warmth remind you why the character endures.

Directed by Geoff Posner and broadcast in 2014, the special was created by Catherine Tate alongside Dan Swimer and Brett Goldstein. It enlarges a sketch favorite into a standalone television half-hour, keeping the live-sketch energy while tightening pace for a single-episode format.

Nan has been a lasting figure in British comedy, and this special helped keep her in the public eye. Clips from the episode circulated online among fans, and the character's exaggerated rants and blunt putdowns continued to be referenced in social conversation, reinforcing her place in the pantheon of recognizable TV eccentrics.

Fans of Tate's comedy tended to enjoy this outing for its directness and short-form structure, praising how the script lets Nan's personality steer every scene. The material leans into family friction, small-town bureaucracy, and the clash between manners and blunt honesty, using insult-driven humor to cut through polite facades while occasionally softening to show a more human side.

The special didn't collect major industry awards, but it did reaffirm Catherine Tate's status as a leading comic performer and kept interest in the Nan character alive. For viewers already fond of Tate's work, it functioned as a compact reminder of why Nan remained a recurring favorite on television and stage.