Donna Noble is played by Catherine Tate during the 1980's.
Catherine Tate . Following the success of The Catherine Tate Show , Tate played Donna Noble in the 2006 Christmas special of Doctor Who and later temporarily reprised her role , becoming the Tenth Doctor 's companion for the fourth series in 2008 . Donna Noble . Portrayed by British actress and comedian Catherine Tate , she is a companion of the Tenth Doctor ( David Tennant ) . Originally appearing in the closing scene of the show 's 2006 series and as a special guest star in its following Christmas special , `` The Runaway Bride '' , Tate was not expected to reprise her role as Donna ; for series 3 ( 2007 ) , the Doctor travelled alongside medical student Martha Jones ( Freema Agyeman ) .