Catherine Tate is one of the biggest showbiz stars in Britain, but she’s also had an action-packed life away from the screen.
The iconic comedian is best known for her hilarious sketch show, The Catherine Tate Show, which won her six BAFTA nods and heaps of awards, including two Royal Television Society Awards and a National Television Award.
Her foul-mouthed character of Nan Taylor, who was based on a real life pensioner who Catherine met as a student, has become one of the nation’s favourite sketch characters.
She’s also starred in huge TV shows including BBC’s beloved sci-fi series Doctor Who alongside David Tennant, who played the tenth doctor, and the US version of The Office.
However, Catherine’s personal life is worthy of a TV series in itself, because she’s had famous ex-boyfriends, dealt with health battles, and suffered a nightmare scare with her baby daughter when she was born.
To celebrate Catherine’s 52nd birthday, Daily Star have taken a look at Catherine Tate’s fascinating life.
Famous exes
(Image: Getty Images)
Catherine was rumoured to have dated some very famous men, including Take That singer Jason Orange.
The comic apparently started dating hunky Jason in late 2011 after meeting to film a spoof Take That video for Comic Relief.
The celebrity couple kept their romance away from the limelight, and they were only photographed together in public a few times.
Catherine and Jason were said to have split up the following year, 2012.
A source close to the couple said: “Jason is a very private person and after it came out that he and Catherine were getting closer together it did affect their relationship.
“There was a lot of pressure on them and it caused them to go their separate ways for a bit but they are still very good friends.”
(Image: Getty Images)
The female comedian was also believed to have dated TV presenter Adrian Chiles.
Catherine and the former One Show host were linked after being snapped sharing a kiss on a break in the sun.
It is believed that they met when Catherine appeared on Adrian’s ITV panel show That Sunday Night Show in January 2011.
However, their relationship didn’t last as they were rumoured to have gone their separate ways the following year, with both stars explaining that their busy work schedules affected the romance.
Catherine’s hospital horror
(Image: Getty Images)
Catherine shares a daughter called Erin with her ex-boyfriend Twig Clark, a stage manager.
Their baby girl was born at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in January 2003, but things took a scary turn when she had to be delivered via emergency surgery – a caesarean.
The actor decided not to marry her long-term ex-partner Twig, and she once admitted: “I’ve never really thought I’d get married.
“It’s not that I’m suspicious of it or anything like that, it’s just that I don’t have a reference for it because my mum wasn’t. And it’s not as if I’m not fully committed to him, because I am.”
(Image: BBC / Comic Relief / Children In Need)
Catherine admitted that Twig even inspired her comedy sketch characters, The New Parents, who were afraid of their baby waking up.
She said: “When Erin was born, we were obsessed with sleep, either ours or the baby’s. At any point in the day, one of us wasn’t having enough.
“I remember writing down a conversation we had, word for word, and that made a script – it was so funny.”
Finding love with fiance Jeff
It seems like Catherine has found her Mr Right, because she’s become engaged to American screenwriter Jeff Gutheim.
They announced their exciting relationship milestone in early 2019 after Jeff popped the question, and they were originally planning a summer wedding.
Gutheim once worked on a 2005 teen comedy called Full Of It, which starred Baywatch babe Carmen Electra.
Catherine’s romance with Jeff is thought to have begun after he split from his former wife of 19 years, Tracey.
Tate moved to the States when she landed a role in the US version of The Office, but she has a home in London, too.
(Image: PA)
A source revealed that she’s been able to keep her relationship with Jeff under the radar as she’s not as famous in America.
The source said: “Catherine is known in the US but she’s not the household name there that she is in Britain.
“That’s why she and Jeff have been able to keep their relationship under the radar.
“It’s not like they have been hiding. They’ve been quite open about their relationship and have been talking openly about getting married.
“They are very much in love and blissfully happy. They can’t wait to start this next chapter of their lives together.”
The pair are reportedly planning to divide their time between Hollywood and Britain when they tie the knot.
Health battles
(Image: PA)
After the nerve-wracking birth of her daughter Erin, Catherine suffered from post-natal depression.
She went through the tough mental health battle whilst filming her hit comedy show
She said: “I was so raw for the first year, it was irrational.
“I was putting together the first series six months after giving birth and I couldn’t think about it. I went on autopilot and waded through my life.
(Image: PA)
“What drove me bananas was trying to hide it from people. “So the solution was – OK, I’ll go write a comedy show.”
She also said: “I hadn’t got help for the depression during the first series – I just put it on hold.
“It wasn’t until the end of series two that I sorted it out.”
Catherine also revealed that she occasionally suffers from panic attacks.
She once revealed: “I’m an incredibly negative person, so any form of success is only ever going to be a relief to me and set my default position back to neutral”.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
