Catherine Tate details 'dreadful' experience being recognised mid smear test

Being recognised while you’re out and about is all part and parcel of being a celebrity.

Most stars take being spotted in public in their stride, such as Keanu Reeves, who was happy to pose with a couple on their wedding day.

However, at times it can get a little bit awkward - as Catherine Tate can attest to.

The 53-year-old comedian and actor has a slew of credits to her name including Doctor Who, Big School, Hard Cell and her self-titled The Catherine Tate Show.

So, it makes sense that she’d be recognised by members of the public, right?

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show this week, Tate shared the most ‘dreadful’ occasion she was recognised and what she was doing at the time.

"I've just remembered the most dreadful time when I was recognised,” she spilled.

BBC

And if you’re now asking ‘Well, how bad can it be?’ she went on: "When my show first came out I went to have a smear test.”

Yep, pretty awkward, right?

Tate continued: “And while I was getting my smear, and I don't know how she made the connection, she realised it was me...and started laughing. And I'm just hearing [laughter] as I've got my legs in stirrups.

"And I was like 'Is everything alright?'. And she was like [stifles laughter sound], ‘is my vagina bovvered?’”

She then joked: "I mean, not really."

Earlier this year, Tate hit out at Netflix after the streaming platform axed her comedy series Hard Cell after just one series.

Tate made the shocking admission on BBC Two’s Breakfast Show back in July, revealing that she had no idea Hard Cell had been cancelled by the streaming service.

BBC

“They had a change of staff and as happens when someone who has commissioned the show and then leaves, often they want to start afresh,” she explained.

“I kind of understand but it would’ve been nice for them to have told me."

Her frustration is pretty reasonable given that Tate played multiple characters in the prison comedy, which only ran for six episodes.

The short-lived series also starred actor Cheryl Fergison, whose best known for her role as Heather Trott in EastEnders.

While Hard Cell might be over for the foreseeable, fans can still catch Tate in the highly anticipated Doctor Who specials later this year.

Reprising her role as faithful companion Donna Noble, the actor will also reunite with David Tennant - who plays the tenth iteration of the Time Lord - as part of three 60th-anniversary episodes.