Catherine Tate blasts Netflix for 'harsh way' streaming giant cancelled her show Hard Cell

Catherine Tate has spoken out about the cancellation of her show Hard Cell and has taken aim at Netflix.

The comedian and actor - renowned for her roles on The Office US and Doctor Who - appeared on BBC Two's Breakfast Show on Friday (21 July) and was quizzed about the new 'mockumentary'. Hard Cell was mauled by critics when it debuted in April, leading to the series soon getting cancelled by the streaming giant.

Reflecting on the way Netflix treated her, Catherine Tate told BBC Two how she was told of the sad news from "someone else's agent" and was evidently angered by the whole situation.

She explained: "They had a change of staff and as happens when someone who has commissioned the show then leaves, often they want to start afresh. I kind of understand the decision, but it would have been nice to have told me."

Hard Cell sees Tate bring her unique and laugh-out-loud style of comedy to Netflix - where she plays six different characters - and the official synopsis reads: "A documentary crew follows the inmates and staff of HMP Woldsley while Catherine Tate portrays multiple characters to capture the penal system at its brutal humorous best."

But its six-episode first and now only season was received negatively on the whole. It was given an IMDB rating of just 6.4 out of 10 stars and a measly score of 20% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Viewers were quick to rush to social media in the wake of Hard Cell's cancellation, with one user posting on Twitter: "I love Catherine Tate, but who let her make ‘Hard Cell’ and ‘The Nan Movie’? What was she thinking? I need answers!". Another added: "In more recent times Catherine Tate has produced the dire Netflix prison comedy Hard Cell and the spectacularly ill-received The Nan Movie. Perhaps – whisper it – she’s not that good?".

The actor is readying for her much-anticipated Doctor Who return as fan favourite Donna Noble. The long-running sci-fi spectacular celebrates its 60th-anniversary with a special episode which will also star David Tennant.