Meet the cast of Catherine Tate’s prison comedy Hard Cell
Find out who rounds out the cast alongside Tate's six characters.
Catherine Tate's latest comedy series Hard Cell is now available on Netflix, and stars Tate in multiple roles.
The mockumentary follows the inmates and staff at fictional prison HMP Woldsley, as they attempt to put on a musical due to the Governor's belief that creativity leads to rehabilitation.
Despite Tate playing six different roles, there are still a number of other actors in key roles, including Christian Brassington and Cheryl Fergison.
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Hard Cell.
Hard Cell cast: Catherine Tate stars as six characters
Catherine Tate plays Laura
Who is Laura? Laura is the governor of HMP Woldsley’s governor who came from a background of events planning. She believes that creativity leads to rehabilitation and has an extremely liberal attitude to the running of the prison.
Where have I seen Catherine Tate before? Tate's previous comedy work includes sketch series The Catherine Tate Show, as well as its spin-off Catherine Tate's Nan, which recently had a sequel film The Nan Movie. She is also known for her roles as Donna Noble in Doctor Who and as Nellie Bertram in the US version of The Office.
Catherine Tate plays Ros
Who is Ros? Ros is an Irish inmate who idolises her 'mammy'. She has a prison wife named Suds and is rinsing her penpal boyfriend Sebastian for all he's worth so she can afford a campervan to go travelling with her mammy once she's out.
Catherine Tate plays Ange
Who is Ange? Ange is a timid, innocent first-time inmate who struggles to adapt to her new environment, becoming easy prey to the tougher inmates. She believes that deep down “people are inherently good”.
Catherine Tate plays Big Viv
Who is Big Viv? Big Viv is a fearsome Scottish inmate who is feared by all the other inmates. She is violent and unpredictable but loves to sing, and is a devoted fan of the Kardashians.
Catherine Tate plays Marco
Who is Marco? Marco is a guard from Essex who is more committed to his appearance than his job. He routinely tells people about the time he got down to the last 32 to appear on Love Island.
Catherine Tate plays Anne Marie
Who is Anne Marie? Anne Marie is Ros’ 'mammy' and is a mean ex-con. She only visits her daughter when she's run out of money and takes full advantage of her.
Christian Brassington plays Dean
Who is Dean? Dean is Laura's 'number two' who finds her incredibly inept and spends all day trying to rile her up with sarcastic comments.
Where have I seen Christian Brassington before? Brassington has had high-profile roles in Poldark and The Pact while also appearing in films including Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Jolt.
Cheryl Fergison plays herself
Who is Cheryl? In the series, Cheryl comes into the prison to direct the inmates in their version of West Side Story. She's keen to put the past behind her, but everyone keeps referring to her by her EastEnders character's name, Heather.
Where have I seen Cheryl Fergison before? Fergison is best known for her role as Heather Trott in EastEnders, but has also previously appeared opposite Tate in BBC comedy series Big School.
Jola Olajide plays Charlee
Who is Charlee? Charlee is a cynical, pregnant inmate who ends up growing close to Laura. She's a strong singer so takes on a central role in the musical.
Where have I seen Jola Olajide before? Olajide is fairly new to on-screen work but has previously appeared in an episode of Doctors and one of CBBC series Creeped Out.
Peter Singh plays Gary
Who is Gary? Gary is a positive, bouncy guard who loves his job and is the complete opposite of Marco. He particularly loves EastEnders, and is very excited when Heather comes to the prison to work on the musical.
Where have I seen Peter Singh before? Singh has appeared in series including Coronation Street and The Capture, while his film work includes roles in Cruella, The Personal History of David Copperfield and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.
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Niky Wardley plays Anastasia
Who is Anastasia? Anastasia is a tough inmate who has no interest in making friends and keeps herself to herself. However, she does love to stir up trouble.
Where have I seen Niky Wardley before? Wardley has long been a collaborator of Tate's, having appeared throughout The Catherine Tate Show and also helped to write this series. She is also known for her role in Peep Show and for voicing Tamsin Drew in audio series Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor Adventures.
Hard Cell is available to stream on Netflix now. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
