Netflix cancels Catherine Tate show after one season – and forgot to tell her

Netflix has cancelled Hard Cell starring Catherine Tate but forgot to tell its main star that the show wouldn't be returning. 

That's according to Tate herself, who was speaking to Zoe Ball on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in promotion of her new BBC One sitcom, Queen of Oz. During the interview, the Doctor Who star confirmed that the documentary-style comedy will not be back for a second series at the streaming platform. T3 has also verified that Hard Cell won't be returning at Netflix. 

"Do you know Netflix never actually told me? So I've never actually had the call to say... nothing," Tate told listeners. She then added: "I heard from someone else's agent. That was nice."

Set in a fictionalised female prison over a six-week period, the six-part series was created, co-written and co-directed by Tate with the actor playing six of the main characters (maybe that was a bad omen). It debuted in April 2022 to an abysmal critic rating of 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, however, audiences were much higher with an 89% score awarded. 

A Netflix spokesperson declined to comment on the communication given to Tate. Check out a trailer for Hard Cell below: 

Queen of Oz, Tate's current project, is now available on BBC iPlayer with the star also set to feature in three Doctor Who specials later this year that sees her reunite with David Tennant as the now 14th Doctor. What a world. 

In the meantime, Hard Cell now joins the ever-growing number of Netflix shows cancelled in 2023, with more than a dozen already scrapped this year. At this rate, we're seeing more than one a month not making it to renewal with Lockwood and Co. being the latest in May. Even before then, the romantic drama Sex/Life that was headlined by one of the stars of DC's Black Adam failed to make it to a second season. 

Hard Cell stars Catherine Tate, Christian Brassington, Cheryl Fergison, Niky Wardley, Joja Olajide and Peter Singh. The first season is available to stream on Netflix now. 

Looking for something to watch? We've rounded up the best Netflix series of 2023 that are worth binging, from an experimental heist thriller to a new look at everyone's favourite period drama.