The Catherine Tate Show, Series Three

After Mr Pinky's last post, I'm happy to be able to write about a DVD that I really liked.

In previous Pinky Posts, I've written about the fabulous Catherine Tate. Series Three has now come into my possession, a birthday treat for yours truly, and I can report that it is as good as series One and Two.

Interestingly, they tried to lure Tate to BBC One for her third series, but the comedienne decided she preferred to stay with BBC Two so as not to be pressured into delivering high ratings. She's a wise woman who is obviously more interested in her craft and having a good time than in being rich and famous.

Tate's decision paid off and she became the queen of BBC Two ratings, securing around 5 million viewers per week.

Many of the old favourites appear in this series. Joannie 'Nan' Taylor, with a surprise appearance by Sheila Hancock, playing her sister. Derek Faye manages to continute to be 'mistaken' for a gay man. And in this series we learn how smart a girl Lauren 'Am I Bovvered?' Cooper is. (She excells in her chemistry class, naming with ease the abbreviations of certain chemicals).

There are a few new characters as well.

An office worker who volunteers for jobs she's clearly not skilled at. A tough Irish mum whose son confesses to being gay. And my favourite, Geordie Georgie, an annoying office worker who rides to work, enters singing, then petitions her co-workers to cough up money for any number of charities she's volunteered for. She's what you'd describe as a tyrannical compassionate person.

Now I only need to lay my hands on the recent Christmas feature that aired. George Michael made a guest appearance and had a pash with Irish nurse Bernie. And Lauren Cooper is killed in a kayaking accident.

Interestingly, Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall is a 'big fan' and has expressed an interest in being on the show.

Tate herself is not planning a fourth series and wants to keep a low profile, preferring to concentrate on one off specials.

Says Tate, '"It's hard to keep coming up with ideas. And I'd like to stay in people's good graces, rather than, 'Oh no, she's not doing another series of that, is she?'"

Mr Pinky and his staff here at Mr Pinky's Picks wishes her well in her future endeavours.