Catherine Tate’s much-anticipated return to Comic Relief left many viewers unimpressed, as her iconic characters, Nan and Lauren Cooper, were brought back to the small screen for another round of sketch comedy during the annual telethon. Despite being a household name for her unforgettable sketches from 2004-2007, Tate’s revival of these beloved characters in 2026 sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many fans calling the sketches “excruciatingly unfunny.”
Tate, 56, who made her debut as one of this year’s Comic Relief hosts, opened the show with her foul-mouthed Nan, joined by pensioner-dressed backup dancers in an absurd number set to Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now. Following this, Tate slipped into her schoolgirl persona as Lauren Cooper, delivering her famous catchphrase “Am I Bovvered?” as co-host Davina McCall played the teacher. However, instead of laughter, viewers flooded social media with complaints.
“I remember when you were actually funny,” one viewer posted, referring to the sketches’ earlier years. “This one starts with Nan, and it’s just awful,” another tweeted, while others on X (formerly Twitter) didn’t hold back in their criticism: “Catherine Tate has surfaced as Nan again. Excruciatingly unfunny.”
This reaction is unsurprising to some, given that Tate has revived Nan and Lauren Cooper for Comic Relief sketches multiple times over the years, including 2007, 2009, and 2021. However, many felt that these characters, once cultural staples, now feel outdated and disconnected from today’s audience.
Despite the lukewarm reception to the sketches, the Comic Relief event did bring some heartwarming moments. One of the night’s highlights was Greg James, who raised an impressive £2.8 million for his tandem bike challenge. His reaction as he surpassed his fundraising goal was a refreshing moment of joy: “2.8 million! YESSS! We’re really moving! It’s fun. Silly things are fun, right?”
As donations continued to pour in, Greg set his sights on reaching £3 million, providing a memorable and uplifting conclusion to the event.
While Comic Relief succeeded in raising vital funds, Catherine Tate’s attempts to revive her iconic characters were met with a harsh reality: sometimes, the past is better left behind.
For more on the Comic Relief sketches and the reactions to Tate’s return, visit the full article here: The Sun.
Source: The Sun
