Queen of Oz: Release date, cast and latest news for Catherine Tate BBC comedy
Catherine Tate is putting her comedic talents to use to play the gobby princess of a fictional British royal family.
From The Catherine Tate Show (2004-2007) and Catherine Tate’s Nan (2014), to sitcom Hard Cell (2022), Catherine Tate is well known for her comic creations, and now she'll be trying her hand at playing a disgraced royal in BBC comedy Queen of Oz.
The six-part series will star Tate as Princess Georgiana, the gobby black sheep of a fictional British royal family who, with her party lifestyle plastered all over the tabloids, is considered such a PR disaster that her parents decide to get her as far away from the British throne as possible – shipping her off to Australia to take over the throne from her father.
Talking about the show, and whether she thinks there's anything inherently funny about royalty, Tate told Variety: “I don’t think there’s anything inherently funny about the monarchy, particularly."
She continued: "And it’s probably not the monarchy that makes [the show] funny. I think for us this was just a great idea: that someone has been sent to somewhere they don’t want to go, is very unsuitable and is surrounded by people who don’t help her – they hinder her.”
As well as co-writing the series alongside Jeff Gutheim and starring in the lead role, Tate will also executively produce alongside producer Michele Bennett (Mr Inbetween) and Executive Producer for Lingo Pictures, Helen Bowden (The Secrets She Keeps, Lambs of God).
Read on for everything you need to know about Queen of Oz, including when we can expect it to land on our screens and who else stars in the series.
Queen Of Oz release date
The six-part comedy will premiere on Friday, 16th June on BBC One at 9.30pm, with episodes releasing weekly at the same time from then.
All six episodes will become available on BBC iPlayer from 16th June.
The comedy was announced back in August 2022, with Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy, saying at the time: "It’s time to roll out the red carpet and hang up the bunting again. We’re excited to have the multi-award winning Catherine Tate back making another comedy for the BBC. Her work has been enjoyed by millions over the years and we look forward to working with her on another hit for us."
Producer Bennett added: "Catherine Tate is such a superb talent, and the team at Lingo Pictures couldn’t be more delighted to be working with her on this fabulously witty series. We know that Brits and Australians, as well as audiences around the world, are going to love this riotous take on royalty in Australia."
Development on the sitcom began in 2017, when it was pitched for a Canadian audience, but production was subsequently delayed because of the pandemic, and then by Tate’s decision to return as Donna Noble for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, which were filmed between May and July 2022.
Talking about the delays at a recent press event, Tate explained: "It took a while to develop. Then it got green-lit and COVID happened. Then – I know I’m not supposed to talk about it – but Doctor Who happened.
"So every time it just kept getting pushed back and back and back. And we ended up not shooting it until last autumn."
Queen Of Oz cast: Who stars in the TV series alongside Catherine Tate?
Catherine Tate will lead the cast of Queen of Oz as Princess Georgina, while Niky Wardley (Catherine Tate's Nan, Hard Cell) will appear as Georgiana's lady in waiting Annabelle.
Tate was catapulted to stardom with her BBC sketch series The Catherine Tate Show (2004–2007), which was nominated for six BAFTAs and an Emmy Award, before going on to star on Doctor Who as companion Donna Noble from 2006-2010.
The star also appeared in the US version of The Office from 2011-2013, as well as BBC One sitcom Big School from 2013-14.
In 2014, Tate reprised one of her characters from The Catherine Tate Show in BBC One spin-off series Catherine Tate's Nan.
Her first sitcom, Hard Cell, which follows a documentary crew who film the goings-on within the walls of prison HMP Woldsley, landed on Netflix in 2022.
Further casting for Queen of Oz is set to be announced.
Queen Of Oz plot: What is the Catherine Tate comedy about?
The six-part series will follow Princess Georgiana (Tate), the black sheep of a fictional British Royal Family, who's shipped off to Australia to take over the throne from her father after her party lifestyle gets plastered all over the tabloids.
"It is hoped that giving her some real responsibility will finally be the making of her and if it isn’t, at least shipping her off keeps her ten thousand miles away from London," the official synopsis reads.
"Accompanied by a useless entourage, Queen Georgiana of Australia goes kicking and screaming to a country she has zero interest in beyond the Hemsworth Brothers."
Is there a trailer for Queen Of Oz?
Not yet, but watch this space!
Queen of Oz is coming to BBC One at 9:30pm on Friday 16th June 2023. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
