Catherine Tate is reportedly planning a full series of her sitcom featuring her rude Nan character. However, there is a question mark over when she will have time to make it.

Catherine Tate's Nan is based around Joannie Taylor, a foul-mouthed, short-tempered grandmother who lives alone in a flat and bothers all those she comes into contact with. The character was first developed in Tate's 2004 sketch series The Catherine Tate Show.

So far three episodes of the format have been broadcast by BBC One. A pilot episode was broadcast in 2014, with two new episodes made for Christmas 2015. The first episode was seen by over 4 million viewers, with the most recent specials scoring ratings of over 3 million viewers.

British Comedy Guide understands that BBC bosses have been keen for a full series ever since the success of the pilot broadcast in January 2014.

Today the Mirror reports that Tate has the full backing of BBC executives to make a "big series" of the show as soon as she can find a window in her busy work schedule. She said: "It's not for want of support or appetite from the BBC or anything like that, it just takes such a long time - the make up alone..."

She added: "It's just carving out that sort of time, that's why I feel very lucky that they do let me dip in and out with specials. But I would love to do a big series."

Speaking more about her character, Tate said: "I think a lot of people know someone like that or at some point will be someone like that. I feel very fortunate that I can still do the TV stuff with Nan."

The first of the two recent specials was met with criticism in some newspapers for featuring a joke in which the character implied a Muslim man could be a terrorist bomber. However, the BBC defended the programme, explaining: "Nan is a comedy character well-known to BBC audiences for her outrageous views, language and behaviour. Her views do not hold accord with a more enlightened world, as the programme makes clear."

Catherine Tate was recently seen on TV in Do Not Disturb and Billionaire Boy. Her next project is the stage musical comedy Miss Atomic Bomb, which launches in London in March.