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Tennant when he was training to be an actor

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The 'creation' of David Tennant took place when David McDonald attended the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 1987. As one of their youngest members he chose the stage name Tennant after Neil Tennant - the successful member of the Pet Shop Boys in the 80's.

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Table of Contents

David Tennant (born April 18, 1971, Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland) is a Scottish stage and screen actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of the Tenth Doctor in , the British science-fiction television series. Apart from the show, Tennant has enjoyed a prolific career with more than 100 TV, film, stage, and voice-over credits to his name.

Early life and education

Tennant was born David John McDonald in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, and grew up in Ralston, Renfrewshire, near Paisley, an industrial town in the Scottish lowlands. He was the youngest of three children, which included his brother, Blair McDonald, and his sister, Karen McDonald. Their mother, Helen McDonald, was a founding member of Accord Hospice, and their father, Alexander McDonald, was a local Presbyterian minister. He later achieved national prominence when he served as the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1997 to 1998.

David McDonald had an interest in acting early on and became one of the youngest (age 16) students to be admitted to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama), Glasgow. During his training McDonald changed his name upon joining the actors' union, choosing the surname of Neil Tennant, singer of the 1980s pop duo Pet Shop Boys.

Early roles onstage and onscreen

Following his graduation in 1991, David Tennant performed in several productions with the 7:84 Theatre Company, a group that aimed to tell the stories of working-class life and history. Tennant later relocated to London and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 1996. His roles from that year included Touchstone, the court fool, in As You Like It and Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury of the United States, in The General from America. During this period Tennant also starred in the RSC's 1998 revival of The Real Inspector Hound, a comedy by Tom Stoppard; a 2000 production of Romeo and Juliet; and a 2002 production of Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero. For the latter, he garnered his first Laurence Oliver award for best actor.

Complementing his work in theater, Tennant also appeared onscreen throughout the 1990s in a number of miniseries or short-lived television series. Notable projects included a small part in Jude (1996), an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure, and a supporting role as Ginger Littlejohn in Bright Young Things (2003), Stephen Fry's adaptation of the Evelyn Waugh novel Vile Bodies. In 2004 Tennant began to attract attention after landing a lead role in the BBC musical drama Blackpool. The following year he won acclaim for his performance as the title character in Casanova, a BBC miniseries loosely based on Giacomo Casanova's Histoire de ma vie ( History of My Life).

Doctor Who, other work from the late 2000s, and personal life

Tennant's big career break came in 2005 when he assumed the title character role in , the long-running and popular series. The show follows the adventures of the Doctor, an extraterrestrial from the fictional planet Gallifrey who travels across time and space. Doctor Who initially ran from 1963 to 1989 with a number of actors portraying the main character as he regenerates into new iterations. The series was rebooted in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role. Eccleston left the series at the end of its first season, and Tennant was cast as the 10th actor to play the Doctor. In polls fans have proclaimed him the best Doctor. Tennant stepped down from Doctor Who in 2010, passing the baton to English actor Matt Smith, who became the Eleventh Doctor. Tennant later reprised the role in such TV specials as those marking the series's 50th and 60th anniversaries, in 2013 and 2023, respectively.

While playing the Tenth Doctor, Tennant also continued to perform onstage. In 2008 he starred in two RSC productions, taking the role of Hamlet opposite Patrick Stewart's Claudius and playing Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost. He also had roles in the film adaptation (2005) of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the World War II drama Glorious 39 (2009), and St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009). In 2011 Tennant played a coach in United, a drama about the 1958 plane crash that killed eight of Manchester United's football (soccer) players; a groom-to-be questioning his choices in the rom-com The Decoy Bride; and a vampire hunter in Fright Night. That year he also married British actress Georgia Moffett, whom he had met on the set of Doctor Who. She is the daughter of British actor Peter Davison, who had been the fifth actor to play the Doctor. Tennant and his wife went on to have four children, Olive (born 2011), Wilfred (born 2013), Doris (born 2015), and Birdie (born 2019). He also adopted her son, Ty, from a previous relationship.

Broadchurch and other work from the 2010s

In 2013 Tennant found his next success starring alongside Olivia Colman in the TV series Broadchurch. The pair played two detectives investigating the murder of an 11-year-old boy in a seaside town. The show became a cultural phenomenon in the United Kingdom, generating significant audiences each week and buzz among journalists and other cultural commentators. The first season enjoyed similar success in the United States, and a subsequent American adaptation, Gracepoint (2014), starred Tennant as the lead detective investigating a murder in a beach resort town in California. The adaptation proved to be less popular with both audiences and critics and was canceled after one season. Tennant returned to Broadchurch with Colman for the series' second and third seasons (2015 and 2017, respectively).

Tennant's other onscreen roles from this period included a barrister (lawyer) representing a murderer in the miniseries The Escape Artist (2013), for which he won a BAFTA Scotland Award for best actor; the mind-controlling villain in Netflix's Marvel series, Jessica Jones (2015-19); and John Knox, a leader of the Scottish Reformation, in the film Mary Queen of Scots (2018). Meanwhile, onstage he played Benedick to Catherine Tate's Beatrice in a Wyndham's Theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing (2011) and the title role in an RSC production of that won rave reviews when it was performed in the United Kingdom (2013) and in the United States (2016).

Work from the late 2010s and early 2020s

About the turn of the 2020s Tennant took on the roles of Simon, the father of a child with learning disabilities, in the British comedy drama series There She Goes (2018-23); and the demon Crowley opposite Welsh actor Michael Sheen's angel Aziraphale in the Amazon series (2019-), adapted by Neil Gaiman, and based on his and Terry Pratchett's 1990 novel. Filming of the latter's third and final season was halted in 2024 after several women accused Gaiman of sexual assault. Tennant also starred as the title character in Des (2020), a three-part TV series that examines the Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen. For his performance, Tennant won an International Emmy Award for best actor. His onstage performances as a professor sliding toward Nazism in Good (2022) and as Macbeth (2023 and 2024) opposite Cush Jumbo's Lady Macbeth garnered him two more Olivier nominations for best actor. In 2024 Tennant starred in the streaming series Rivals (2024), which is set in the cutthroat world of British television in 1986.

Voice-over work

In addition to the stage and screen, since the early 21st century, Tennant has lent his voice to a number of projects, including video games and podcast series as well as such animated series as Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest (2007), Doctor Who: Dreamland (2009), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2015-16), and DuckTales (2017-21). He has voiced a viking in the How to Train Your Dragon animated movies and TV series, Charles Darwin in the animated movie The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012), and an ancient droid in the Star Wars spin-off series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2012) and Ahsoka (2023). Tennant also narrated the documentary Lachlan Macquarie: The Father of Australia (2011); the British sitcom Twenty Twelve (2011-12), about the team organizing the 2012 Olympics in London, and the show's follow-up W1A (2014-24), satirizing the management at the BBC; and a 2014 episode on penguins in the long-running documentary series Nature.

Leigh Goldstein The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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David Tennant | Biography, TV, Film, Stage, Doctor Who, Rivals, Hamlet, Macbeth, Wife, Son, Michael Sheen, & Facts | Britannica

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David Tennant is a Scottish stage and screen actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, the long-running British science-fiction television series. He has enjoyed a prolific career with more than 100 TV, film, stage, and voice-over credits to his name.

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Tennant's first official acting role came in 1987 while he was still studying at secondary school. He successfully landed the role in an anti-smoking ad commissioned by Glasgow Council which was shown on television and in schools.

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David Tennant's Very First TV Acting Role.

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When reflecting on his first acting job many years later Tennant responded with a relatable cringe at seeing his younger self

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David Tennant's Reaction to Watching His 1st Acting Role on The One Show

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A public confirmation of Tennant's authenticity came from behind the scenes on 'Rivals'. When casting the series there was a "No a*** holes" rule in order to ensure a positive working environment

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Tallyho! The hit Jilly Cooper adaptation is returning for a second season.

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Tennant and Sheen filming together on Zoom without having to leave their homes 

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During lockdown Tennant worked with friend and collaborator Michael Sheen to star in a sitcom filmed on Zoom and personal cameras. The series made use of their real world friendship to create a familiar sitcom feeling in an unfamiliar, and scary time.

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David and Georgia Tennant, Michael Sheen and Anna Lundberg on what is and isn’t ‘Staged’ on their Zoom drama

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The Staged stars spoke exclusively to Radio Times about the challenges of filming the Zoom comedy drama at home during lockdown.

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Following his Doctor Who work Tennant's persona changed varying from one project to another. However what made him so popular was his real world persona. Despite not being on social media his wife Georgia Tennant was very active and included images of the two of them in their down time.

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Georgia Tennant on Instagram: "1. When mum & dad have wine at lunch. 2. I grew that. 3. Kid drew that. 4. Needy dog. 5. Less needy birthday friend. 6. When mum has wine at lunch. 7. IYKYK. 8. The people who made mum & dad have wine at lunch."

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63K likes, 147 comments - georgiatennantofficial on June 8, 2025: "1. When mum & dad have wine at lunch. 2. I grew that. 3. Kid drew that. 4. Needy dog. 5. Less needy birthday friend. 6. When mum has wine at lunch. 7. IYKYK. 8. The people who made mum & dad have wine at lunch.". 

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Georgia Tennant (@georgiatennantofficial)

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After graduating from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Tennant started working with the production company 7:84 Theatre who focused on telling working class stories. His first appearance on stage was in The Ghost of Benji O'Neill in 1989.

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An indepth look at David Tennant’s theatre career

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In 1996 Tennant relocated to London and started working with the RSC where he had a chance to show off his range in various productions like 'fool' in 'As You Like It' and Alexander Hamilton in The General From America

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As his time on Doctor Who was drawing to a close Tennant decided to take on a very different role. His performance as Hamlet proved that as he was finishing with his time as the Doctor he had plenty more to offer as a performer.

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Review Round-up: Is Tennant Hamlet Hype or Hit?

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Tennant proved during his time as an actor his adoration for Shakespeare. He was originally supposed to feature in Russell T Davies' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' on BBC but when he was unable to, he stayed in contact with RTD as a 'Shakespeare expert'.

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Russell T Davies on how Doctor Who and David Tennant inspired his Midsummer Night’s Dream

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“Shakespeare expert” Tennant injected some comedy gold into the BBC production, while Davies invoked “the ghost of Doctor” to create something both new and nostalgic

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In 2005 Tennant played a swashbuckling adventurer: Casanova. His performance was well received not only by audiences but by the creative team as the writer Russell T Davies offered Tennant the role of the Doctor in his helming of a revived Doctor Who. There was no audition and Tennant was encouraged to play the role similarly to how he played Casanova.

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Doctor Who boss recalls David Tennant casting: “There was no audition”

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It’s hard to believe, but Tennant originally asked Russell T Davies about a minor Doctor Who role.

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After just one series Tennant's Doctor was voted as the best incarnation of the character. This was in part due to the uniqueness of his characterisation as a romantic lead as opposed to the asexual scholar of the classic series.

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Fans have named David Tennant the best ever Doctor Who in a poll, beating Tom Baker into second place.
The Scottish actor, who made his debut last Christmas, received 28% of votes cast in a survey of 4,000 readers of Doctor Who Magazine.

"This is a real honour, and I am totally gobsmacked," he said.

Baker, who played the character from 1974 to 1981, has topped every previous poll conducted by the magazine, except in 1990 - when Sylvester McCoy won.

3. Christopher Eccleston - 11.4%

5. Patrick Troughton - 8.8%

Source: Doctor Who Magazine

"This is an incredible result for David, and shows how quickly viewers have taken to him," said editor Clayton Hickman.
"The iconic image of Doctor Who has always been of Tom Baker in his floppy hat and long, multi-coloured scarf, but it looks like that's been replaced."

Fans voted Tennant's predecessor Christopher Eccleston into third place, while Paul McGann received the fewest votes of the 10 actors to play the Doctor on TV.

Favourite assistant named

Readers also voted Billie Piper as their favourite Doctor Who assistant, in the role of Rose Tyler.

In second place was 1970s companion Sarah Jane Smith, played by Elisabeth Sladen.

Sladen is due to return to the screen in the spin-off series, The Sarah Jane Adventures, over Christmas.

A new episode of Doctor Who will be shown on BBC One this Christmas, with a guest appearance from comedy performer Catherine Tate.

Actress Freema Agyeman, 27, will be introduced as the Doctor's new companion Martha Jones in 2007, following Billie Piper's departure this year.

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BBC NEWS | Entertainment | David Tennant named 'best Dr Who'

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Fans name David Tenant the best ever Doctor Who, beating Tom Baker into second place.

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Tennant and Davies at Comic-Con during their first tenure as Doctor and showrunner 

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One of the many key collaborators Tennant befriended was renowned screenwriter Russell T Davies. Their creative partnership remained strong since 2005 with their most recent collaboration in 2023 for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary.

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David Tennant Had This Brilliant One-Line Response When First Offered Doctor Who Role

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The Rivals star recently had a nostalgic chat with Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies on his podcast.

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After making a successful start in theatre Tennant's first major TV role was in the BBC Scotland drama 'Takin' Over The Asylum' where his sensitive portrayal of bipolar disorder as Campbell Bain led to the series winning a BAFTA.

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Over half a decade ago now I was a writer for David Tennant News by DT Forum, one of the bigger unofficial fan sites of DT's at the time (now sadly defunct). During my time there, I got the chance in Jan 2016 to interview David Blair - most notably the director of Takin' Over The Asylum, though he worked with DT in three other shows - about those projects, and what he remembered about David. I didn't want this interview to sink into the depths of the Wayback Machine (it's here) and I thought y'all might enjoy reading it, so here is that interview in its entirety:
Hello Mr. Blair! From 1992-1996 you worked with David Tennant on four separate television shows: Strathblair Many of David's fans have seen Takin' Over The Asylum Did David do anything on set of any of the productions he worked on with you that totally took you by surprise or that was unexpected? What did he do? I think in those days, more than anything, it was important to keep in mind just how young he was. What do you feel David's most unique/valuable attributes as an actor are? What do you think separates him from his peers as he has matured into the career he has today? When I look at him now I still largely see the same lad I met all those years ago. Still bursting with enthusiasm and an absolute desire to come out on top - which he's done consistently. He's retained his appetite, clearly, and devoured a huge range of roles - never seeking a 'comfort zone' in the process. It's also struck me that he's never attempted to be somebody he's not and that truth, integrity, diligence - some might say, 'Scottishness' (!) - defines the man we see today. David has said he considers Takin' Over The Asylum Looking back at Funnily enough, somebody called me the other day to say he'd sat down and watched all six episodes and couldn't believe how well it's stood the test of time. I'd like to explore your decision to cast institutionalized patients as extras in It was simply an idea I had not just to add authenticity, but to have these guys make a worthwhile contribution to the film - and also make them feel good about it, if you like. I wanted to dispel the notion that all mentally ill people were screaming banshees - the story alludes to this anyway - by whose definition are we mad? I also thought it would help the non-mad actors (if there is such a thing!!!) to be surrounded by the 'real' rather than the 'made up' and thereby enrich their own performances. Speaking of Gartloch Hospital, how did you choose that particular hospital for the filming location? Takin' Over The Asylum As you mentioned, you do certainly seem to gravitate towards actors and writers that inspire you. Years ago you spotted a certain something in David -- so if given an opportunity, would you be willing to work with David again and if you could choose your own ideal role for him, what would that role entail? Nothing would give me more pleasure than finding a project that both David and I could work on. David, creatively, is a bit of chameleon, so I don't think there's an 'ideal role' for him as such. A brilliant piece of writing and a character that takes him a place he hasn't been before would be the simple remit. Over the years many fans of My hunch is that Campbell would have gone on to be a success in the music industry and Eddie would have tumbled into an even darker place, fueled by alcohol and self-doubt. I've often imagined Campbell inadvertently bumping into Eddie while he was sleeping in a cardboard box and Campbell doing for Eddie what Eddie had done for Nana in the very first episode. Lore is - from Donna amongst others -- that you asked her to take a minor character from a play she'd written and make a drama around him. Of course that character is Ready Eddie McKenna. Could you tell us what the name of that play was? And what was there about Eddie in the framework of that play that made you see him as the kind of character that could carry an entire series - and that Donna was the woman to write it? Takin' Over The Asylum On the day of the studio, the Producer overseeing the project, was taken ill and they asked me to fill in for her 'in the gallery'. (This was an old TV play where you worked in a rehearsal room for, say, three weeks then shot the whole thing - multi-camera - in a matter of days). Of course, as a result, I became familiar with the material and was indeed taken by this minor character - Eddie - who was a hospital radio DJ. After that, I asked Donna if she felt there might be mileage in creating a serial based around this character. I'd love to go into great and meaningful depth about why I thought that but, in truth, it was just a hunch - although it was one relative to how Donna was writing at that time; I believed she could deliver something unique with wide appeal. She hadn't done any original TV work at that time (apart from the monologue) and had worries. It took her some time to finally come up with a first draft - the breakthrough, she told me, came when she switched from just a hospital to a mental hospital. After that, we worked the episodes one at a time getting precisely where we wanted to be on one, before moving on to the next. Not an option that's often available these days. During this process both Donna and I were supported hugely by the then Head of The Department, Bill Bryden. And that support manifested most clearly in simply leaving us to our own devices. No script executives, story editors or any other distractions. The work we ended up with had the footprint of nobody but ourselves. have expressed their desire to know what happened to Campbell and Eddie after we left them. If you were to continue their story, where do you think Campbell and Eddie would be today? in a bit more detail. Was this related to filming the series at Gartloch Hospital, and if not, how was the idea first presented and eventually implemented? Was this something you and Donna discussed as part of your intention to make the show as sensitive to the subject matter and as authentic as you could? And did you run into any problems with compensating the extras, or any other issues relating to their Sectioned status? I think I agree. I suppose because it's a subject matter nobody would touch with a bargepole these days - that's keeps it fresh somehow. All the scripts were vetted by the Association For Mental Health before we signed off on them. The writer had had mental health issues and wanted it to be authentic and in no way derisory. In fact, I remember many of the extras I cast all had had mental issues - one in particular having been institutionalised for 37 years! Takin' Over The Asylum all these years later, do you feel it still holds up as well as it did? In retrospect do you feel it helped shed as much needed light on the mental health industry as you'd hoped? a career-defining project for him. What is your reaction so many years down the line to that comment? This boy of 21, was commanding the space, displaying an extraordinary ability to create laughter and tears; sometimes both at the same time! He had natural charm and wit and that, combined with this wonderfully spontaneous joie de vivre, made him a joy to be around both on the set and off. and are well-versed with it. Can you talk more about Strathblair, The Brown Man and A Mug's Game, and David's roles in each? Little is known about the roles he played in those productions. Can you give us any insight into the stories behind all three of the projects themselves, and what was it about David in those years that made you want to cast him in all of them? in 1992, The Brown Man in 1993, Takin' Over The Asylum in 1994 and A Mug's Game in 1996. Were you at all involved in the casting process for, the first project you worked with David on... If so what did you see in the young actor that won him the role? And how did that translate into choosing him as Campbell Bain?
I was a Producer at the BBC before I started directing. David was a student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow. He asked if he could meet me just to talk through procedure for TV, interviews, etc., as the college appeared more interested in theatre than camera. Indeed, frowned on the latter! He'd be about 18 [he was 19, as clarified by Mr. Blair] then. I certainly knew from the outset that he 'had something,' and I gave him a few minor opportunities as soon as I embarked on my directing career. To be clear, I only work with actors I want and believe in - still do. Some might say my own career has been stifled by this obduracy but I don't care. My need of working with great actors is paramount and David's a shining example of what makes it all worthwhile. I commissioned Takin' Over The Asylum for the BBC and worked closely with the writer throughout the creative process. I knew as soon as I read the screenplay, David was going to be perfect for Campbell. But I'm not a fascist about this kind of decision-making, so I mentioned to the writer and Casting Director I had a boy 'in mind' for the role. I didn't oversell; I knew he would make it work for himself. There may have been some minor scepticism at first, but when he did his audition, he blew them away.

In truth, Strathblair and The Brown Man were merely cogs in my directing wheel. They weren't aesthetically of great merit but gave me a few credits to kick-start my career. What I needed was a 'signature piece' and that came along with Takin' Over The Asylum . In many ways, I regard that as the start of my directing career. In those days, without a high-profile production on your CV, you would more than likely be destined for a treadmill of soaps and 'continuing drama'. Before Asylum I was picking up scraps; after it, I was being asked what I wanted to do. Thus A Mug's Game became my second collaboration with Donna Franceschild, who'd written Asylum. Ken Stott, Katy Murphy and others from Asylum were already on board - and really? We just wanted David to 'be in it'. It wasn't a huge role but he kindly agreed to come in and do it for us. Played a music student (at the Scottish Academy, as it happens), as I recall but, again, hugely professional and accomplished. In one scene, he had to throw up over the railway tracks at Partick train station in Glasgow.... ah, an enduring memory.....

I've always been rather humbled by David's regard for myself and Takin' Over The Asylum . I genuinely never felt I did anything out of the ordinary. I picked the best man for the job which, God knows, he underlined in spades once he played the role. He gave me as much as I gave him. Of course, there are occasions in my own career where I look back at defining moments and say "if it hadn't been for so-and-so".... but, I guess, the reason why we can reflect in that way, is because we didn't let anybody down. David didn't - and I hope I didn't.

Gartloch was one of several mental hospitals around Glasgow being run down at the time, as part of the government's controversial 'care in the community' programme. In other words, 'we don't want to pay to look after them any more, so you do it '. Of all the ones I looked at, Gartloch - not least with its huge tower - seemed to provide the best ambience; most suitable for the story and visually rewarding also.

With regard to the question below, it's strange how little fateful moments define what we are and what we do. In my early days as a Producer, I commissioned Donna to write one of four monologues I was overseeing - I didn't direct it, as it happens, but it was a sterling piece performed by Katy Murphy. The BBC - not myself - then commissioned Donna to adapt a stage play she'd written called And The Cow Jumped Over The Moon to fit a play strand we were doing at the time.

And that's that! I hope you all enjoyed this unique insight into Takin' Over The Asylum and DT's work with David Blair.

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DT Talk Throwback: My Interview with David Blair, director of 'Takin' Over The Asylum'

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The first in the series of interviews with people who worked with David Tennant in his earlier years, this is my 2016 interview with David Blair, the director of 'Takin' Over The Asylum'.

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Tennant has had various collaborators across various projects who he has happily worked with on multiple occasions 

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Tennant has had various collaborators across various projects who he has happily worked with on multiple occasions 

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When Catherine Tate returned as Donna for a full series in Doctor Who the two formed a fast friendship. Tennant appeared in her sketch show 'The Catherine Tate Show' and the two played the lead roles in 'Much Ado About Nothing'. Their friendship remains strong to this day with them reprising their roles as the Doctor and Donna 17 years after their initial series together.

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REVIEW: Much Ado About Nothing, Wyndham’s Theatre (2011) | TheatreVibe

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Set in 1980s Gibraltar, Josie Rourke directs favourites Catherine Tate and David Tennant from the popular BBC television serial Dr Who in an updated version of Much Ado About Nothing.

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Tennant revealed he was inspired to be an actor from a very young age while watching 'Doctor Who' even meeting Tom Baker at a book signing. His desire to play the Doctor led to him having various associations with the show before his major casting.

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David Tennant Interviews Russel T Davies | Doctor Who Confidential | BBC Studios

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Tennant met and became friends with Arabella Weir when the two were working on 'Takin' Over The Asylum' with the two lodging together for five years, Tennant eventually being godfather to Weir's child.

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INTERVIEW - How We Met Arabella Weir and David Tennant

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The actor David Tennant was born in 1971 in Bathgate, Scotland. He attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, did his first sea…

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Tennant appeared in various spin-off roles for Doctor Who before its revival. This included the 30th anniversary animated story 'The Scream of the Shalka' and Big Finish stories such as 'Medicinal Purposes'

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10 Actors With Multiple Roles In Doctor Who

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The Whoniverse is full of familiar faces…

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Desiring to prove his range as an actor, Tennant continued to impress critics with his comfort performing different genres. An early example of this is when he featured in 'Blackpool' a musical-detective drama

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David Tennant, David Morrissey & Sarah Parish sang, danced and misbehaved in the wonderful Blackpool, which aired a decade ago on BBC 1…

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Tennant would occasionally dip his toe in Hollywood. The earliest example being his role as Barty Crouch Jr. in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' in 2005. Alongside his roles that year in 'Blackpool', 'Casanova' or 'Doctor Who' the performance only further cemented audience perception of him as a diverse actor.

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David Tennant’s Harry Potter Role Explained (& How He Felt On Set)

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Despite his reservations Tennant accepted Davies' offer to play the Tenth Doctor. His debut in 'The Christmas Invasion' was seen by 9.8 million viewers and he fast became an audience favourite. Playing the role for 4 years before leaving alongside Davies.

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Doctor Who Reviews - The Christmas Invasion

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What do you get if you cross Independence Day with Time And The Rani?To be fair, it would do The Christmas Invasion a great disservice to compare it to ... (from Doctor Who News)

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Despite leaving the show in 2009 Tennant remained associated with the programme for many years. Including an appearance 4 years later in the 50th anniversary special 'The Day of the Doctor'

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David Tennant and Billie Piper to return for 50th anniversary of Doctor Who | Doctor Who

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David Tennant and Billie Piper are to return to Doctor Who for it’s blockbuster 50th celebrations, alongside Merlin and Alien star John Hurt.

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Following his return for the anniversary, Tennant continued his association with Big Finish appearing in multiple boxsets showing unseen adventures alongside Catherine Tate and Billie Piper, as well as a new series called 'Dalek Universe' featuring unseen companions.

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Everything we know about the new David Tennant and Catherine Tate Doctor Who adventures

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Donna Noble is set to become Queen and the Tenth Doctor has to defeat deadly iPad in a series of brand new Who audio dramas

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Tennant returned for the following anniversary in three standalone specials where he played the Doctor once again alongside Catherine Tate. However, much press was made about Tennant not returning to play the Tenth Doctor but instead the Fourteenth Doctor who has the same face of the Tenth. This was the first canon time a Doctor had returned to a former face.

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Why Is David Tennant Now Playing The Fourteenth Doctor, Not The Tenth?

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Why David Tennant is the Fourteenth Doctor.

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Tennant's temporary return saw a boost in public interest in 'Doctor Who' with ratings being the highest they had been since 2018. The three specials became the second highest seen drama of 2023 only behind 'Happy Valley'.

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Doctor Who's highly-anticipated first 60th anniversary special, The Star Beast, has become the highest rated episode in five years.

The special, which saw David Tennant and Catherine Tate return after 15 years, boasted an audience of 7.6 million according to BARB data, which includes catch-up figures after seven days.

The last episode to rival that figure is The Tsuranga Conundrum in 2018, Jodie Whittaker's fifth episode as the Thirteenth Doctor, which was watched by 7.76 million viewers.

The Star Beast has become the biggest drama launch of 2023, also boasting a respectable overnight audience of 5.08 million.

David Tennant and Yasmin Finney in Doctor Who: The Star Beast. BBC

The episode saw Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor and Tate's Donna Noble reunite, also bringing Yasmin Finney's Rose Noble into the action for the first time.

We also met the menacing Meep, voiced by Miriam Margolyes, and, of course, got our first glimpse at the gorgeous new TARDIS.

The latest Doctor Who episode, Wild Blue Yonder, saw the Doctor and Donna facing deadly doppelgangers of themselves at the edge of the universe and also marked the return of the late Bernard Cribbins as Wilfred Mott.

With just one 60th anniversary special left to go, fans will see the return of one of the Doctor's oldest enemies, The Toymaker, this time brought to life by Neil Patrick Harris.

We'll also finally get to meet Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor - and we're sure we've got plenty more surprises coming our way, with a whole host of other guest stars on the way.
Doctor Who's third 60th anniversary special The Giggle airs at 6:30pm on Saturday 9th December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 - subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Previous episodes are available on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox - you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.

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Doctor Who's The Star Beast becomes highest rated episode in 5 years

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Doctor Who's first 60th anniversary special The Star Beast has become the series' highest-rated episode in five years as David Tennant and Catherine Tate return.

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Sheen and Tennant starred alongside each other in 'Good Omens' where a strong friendship was formed, the two being public about their close friendship as they made various appearances together to promote both 'Good Omens' and 'Staged'.

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During the lockdown 'Doctor Who' became renowned for 'Tweetalongs' ran by Emily Cook. Where fans would live tweet their favourite episodes, this eventually caught the attention of stars of the show including Tennant, Tate and even Russell T Davies who scripted an original short drama for Tennant to appear in.

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Doctor Who: LOCKDOWN | The Secret of Novice Hame

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The tweetalong revived interest in making 'Doctor Who' for Tennant, Tate and Davies with Davies suggesting the three return for a one off special. This soon ballooned into three specials which led into a new tenure as showrunner for Davies.

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Russell T Davies has opened up about his shock decision to return as Doctor Who showrunner.

The acclaimed screenwriter recently topped 2021's RadioTimes.com TV 100, recognising his incredible year that included the launch of powerful AIDS drama It's A Sin on Channel 4.

For many years after leaving Doctor Who, Davies insisted that he would not return for a second stint on the long-running sci-fi drama, but it now appears the show was never far from his mind.

He said: "The truth of it is, everyone lies when they leave Doctor Who and says 'Oh, I've moved on! - I've been thinking about it since I was three, so there's no way you stop thinking about it."

Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor will be regenerating later this year, ushering in a new era for Davies, who will work alongside another lead actor whose identity is yet to be revealed.

"There are things coming up that are brand new ways of telling stories that have never been done before, so it just feels new - I wouldn't have gone back if it wasn't feeling new," Davies teased.

He went on to elaborate on why Doctor Who has a unique appeal to writers that few other shows can claim to have, as each week brings its own distinct premise and cast of characters.

"I'm sitting here now, 10 pages away from a climax thinking, 'God, I've never been in this territory before - this is strange and new and hopefully I'll learn something out of it," added Davies.

"The reason why I've worked on 34 programmes in my life is that I don't normally like continuing series. That's why It's A Sin came to an end and I just moved on."

He concluded: "I just like looking at a new set of challenges every time and another blank page, but Doctor Who is always a blank page."
Read more: Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now - subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, l isten to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.

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Russell T Davies reveals why he returned to Doctor Who

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Fans were shocked to hear that Russell T Davies was returning to Doctor Who, but the writer tells RadioTimes.com he never stopped thinking about the show.

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After leaving 'Doctor Who' the first time, this did not stop Tennant appearing in other franchises. Due to his status as a franchise icon, but his ability to avoid typecasting this made him ideal casting for various characters including villains and heroes.

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How David Tennant Escaped Typecasting, From ‘Doctor Who’ to ‘DuckTales’

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Thank the new wave of television for the rich variety of roles Tennant has been able to play over the last 10 years.

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Despite making a huge name as a serious actor in adult dramas, this did not stop Tennant taking on screen and voiceover roles in children's film, TV and theatre. This also included reviving his role as the Doctor in 'The Muppets Take The O2' and 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' as well as becoming the voice of Scrooge McDuck and in 'How To Train Your Dragon' as Spitelout Jorgenson and voicing multiple other characters in the franchise.

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Known for voicing The Doctor, Scrooge McDuck, and Huyang. View 35 images and 5 sounds of David Tennant’s characters from their voice acting career. Was born Apr 18 - Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, UK.

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Tennant soon made his way into Marvel with the critically acclaimed 'Jessica Jones', where he appreciated the opportunity to play a complex villain.

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Daily Actor: Monologues, Acting Tips, Interviews, Resources

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David Tennant Talks ‘Jessica Jones’ and His Acting Process

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“Within the small range of choice you have as an actor, I do tend toward things I haven’t done before.” - David Tennant

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Tennant also made an appearance in another popular sci-fi franchise in the animated series 'Star Wars: Clone Wars' much to the popularity of fans of both franchises. The role was such a success he revived the character in the live action series 'Ahsoka' on Disney Plus.

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Star Wars fans react gleefully to David Tennant’s unexpected Ahsoka feature

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Scottish actor reprises his ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars’ character

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A key aspect of his success as the Doctor was the mass amounts of action figures that were produced. While popularity from the masses for merchandise like this has reduced drastically, action figures continue to be released by Character Options of the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors.

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Bring home Character Options' 'Vortex Edition' set of the Doctor and his cute yet deceptive enemy from 'The Star Beast'...

The second Doctor Who exclusive figure set of 2025 has been confirmed by Character Options and BBC Studios as a 'Vortex Edition' of the Fourteenth Doctor and the Meep. The set will go on sale today, Monday 16th June 2025, solely through character-online.com .

This exclusive set is a celebration of the 60th anniversary episode The Star Beast and includes the Fourteenth Doctor (as played by David Tennant) figure without his jacket, as well as the sonic screwdriver accessory. In addition, fans will find a stunning Meep figure. As part of the new range of Vortex Edition sets, the figures feature a higher specification decoration applied over base colour plastics for extra detail.

This set comprises of two figures. The Fourteenth Doctor is presented without his signature long jacket, but in shirt sleeves and waistcoat. The head which has been recast from the previous release, is decorated in the new 'Vortex' Style and in addition, the figure comes with the Sonic Screwdriver accessory.

The second figure is the nefarious Meep. This figure is a first for the Vortex Range with two interchangeable heads, one the 'placid' Meep expression and the other the evil maniacal Meep expression. It also has three sets of interchangeable hands, the first set echoes the meek 'under the chin' pose; the second is an 'open handed' pose; and third one incorporates the Meep's blaster. It also has waist articulation and ball jointed poseable arms and elbows with internal pins.

Al Dewar, Character Options Creative Director added "It's always good to do something new with the range and I think this set is going to genuinely blow folks socks off. We've not done a figure with so many accessories and interchangeable parts, but the Meep is the perfect test bed being such a split character behaviour wise."
The 'Vortex Edition' of the Fourteenth Doctor and the Meep is available now, solely through character-online.com.

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The Fourteenth Doctor and the Meep action figure set now available | Doctor Who

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Bring home Character Options' 'Vortex Edition' set of the Doctor and his cute yet deceptive enemy from 'The Star Beast'...

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It was not long after finishing Doctor Who that Tennant was in another major ratings and critical hit. 'Broadchurch' reunited Tennant with multiple co-stars as well as writer Chris Chibnall and director James Strong. His performance was singled out as incredibly strong and the series went on to have two more very successful series.

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Broadchurch: David Tennant delivers one of his most gripping performances yet in this critically acclaimed British thriller

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David Tennant has tackled lots of vivid, larger-than-life roles on screen, but nothing lays bare his quiet restraint and hidden depth quite like Broadchurch.

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Tennant continued to expand his acting abilities. This included going outside of his comfort zone as an actor who heavily disliked voiceover he attempted roles in animation. One of the most high profile being 'Tree Fu Tom' which was designed to help children with dyspraxia.

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Twigs is Tom’s best friend and sidekick – he goes everywhere with him and is the comic heart of the show. This tiny acorn sprite is like the wide-eyed, fun-loving, free-spirited and seriously silly child in each of us.

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Tennant has never turned down a role for being associated with something he finds uncomfortable. This includes animation as he was vocal about his dislike of doing voiceover work during his time on 'Doctor Who' but still took on several roles doing voiceovers.

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David Tennant vs ADR | Doctor Who Confidential: Series 4 | Doctor Who

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Going outside his comfort zone did not just mean areas he found physically challenging, but also emotionally. Tennant took the role in the BBC sitcom 'There She Goes' which was based on the life of the writer whose child had a disability. Tennant notes how taking this role changed his perspective as a father.

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David Tennant felt “huge responsibility” starring in new BBC comedy There She Goes

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The Doctor Who actor plays the father of a child with a disability in a new comedy drama for BBC4

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Tennant's talents have never gone unnoticed with him receiving an Emmy for his role in the 2020 drama 'Des'.

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Scots actor David Tennant wins renowned ‘Best Performance’ award at Emmys

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The famous Scottish actor has won an Emmy at the awards in New York city.

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Despite winning several awards for several highly acclaimed roles, Tennant has never been awarded a BAFTA. This is something many have always found odd, however Tennant has always leaned into the joke even offering to host the BAFTA's on different occasions.

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Doctor Who star David Tennant addresses ‘never being nominated for a BAFTA’

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Doctor Who actor David Tennant, who has amassed both a huge fanbase and a great deal of critical acclaim over the years, has never won a BAFTA. In a new interview, the star has opened up about the award that continues to elude him.

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One of the many reasons Tennant has an adoring fanbase is his advocacy and allyship. This includes mentioning in interviews the importance of protecting the trans community, as well as wearing a t-shirt saying to protect trans kids during press tours for 'Good Omens' where it garnered mass press attention. His wife continued to share images of him wearing similar t-shirts on social media.

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PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news

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Doctor Who star David Tennant has worn yet another t-shirt backing trans rights.

Tennant, who appeared as the Time Lord in the BBC's long running sci-fi show from 2005 to 2010 (and popped up again in the 2023 Christmas specials), has since made a name for himself outside the TARDIS doors.

He has been pictured wearing a shirt emblazoned with the phrase "You will have to go through me'" in the pink, white and blue of the trans flag, while (to top it off) also holding a progress Pride flag.

The picture was shared by his wife, Georgia Tennant, on her Instagram account. It's the third image in a carousel of photos of the whole family celebrating "School Pride".

The David Tennant trans rights picture was quickly reshared to X/Twitter and been received with gratitude by the queer community.

"That's the Doctor," one user wrote, and another added: "David Tennant is now officially the best dad ever."

Someone else joked that the Good Omens actor was "never beating the king allegations".

The hashtags #ParentGoals #ProtectTransKids #ParentPride soon followed.

"This pic made my entire day. David Tennant is such a beacon of light in this dark and gloomy world," another user wrote.

"We funded the scholarship several times over"

People also left thousands of comments on the original Instagram post. The top comment is from the designer of the shirt that Tennant is wearing, Stevie Brocksom, and reads:

"If David ever sees this, today has been life-changing. I'm a trans dude in London Ontario and the creator of the shirt that David is wearing.

"Your visibility has changed my life today in ways you'll never understand. If you ever need or want to know what $15k worth of t-shirts looks like, it's a lot 😅

"Today, I sold shirts in UK, US, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Australia, Japan, and I'm sure I'm forgetting more.

"The profits from these shirts fund a scholarship for trans youth and I cannot tell you how incredible it feels that today, we funded the scholarship several times over. Thank you so so so much."

This isn't the first time David Tennant has proved an ally. In 2023, he donned a rainbow pin badge in the colours of the non-binary flag in support of one of his children who is reportedly non-binary.

Other photos, taken during Pride in London weekend, showed him wearing a badge that said: "You are safe with me" and the same day he wore a shirt that yelled: "Leave trans kids alone, you absolute freaks."

He has also appeared in a video campaign message alongside Dannii Minogue, to remind transgender youngsters that they are loved.

The shirt he wore most recently is available from stevieesafespaces.com.

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Legendary ally David Tennant breaks the internet by wearing trans rights t-shirt

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Doctor Who actor David Tennant just wore a trans rights t-shirt to his kids' school pride, again proving why he's the ally to end all allies.

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Tennant's advocacy was recognised when he won an award at the British LGBTQ+ awards which he took to create a 'call for action' as he asked for 'basic human decency' and wished for the main opposers to this like Kim Badenoch to shut up, without wishing ill on them.

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David Tennant calls for “human decency” as he wins British LGBT Award

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Doctor Who’s David Tennant has called for “human decency” in a speech at the British LGBT Awards, where he commented on Tory politician Kemi Badenoch.

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Tennant's words had an impact as it created a media frenzy around him telling Kemi Badenoch to 'shut up'. While this was taken out of context in several headlines presenting it in an unsavoury way it still got under the right people's skin. Badenoch even mentioned this in her leadership bid in an attempt to seem unaffected instead showed the public how much these words affected her.

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PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news

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Kemi Badenoch reignites David Tennant beef in ‘weirdest-ever’ leadership campaign

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Kemi Badenoch has launched her Tory leadership campaign and promised not to “shut up”, referencing a row with Doctor Who’s David Tennant.

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Tennant was unafraid to criticise many people for their harm on the trans community, including JK Rowling who was responsible for the film that launched a Hollywood career. Despite many saying he should be grateful Tennant was unafraid and criticised her publicly.

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David Tennant has made another vocal display of support for the transgender community, while sharing his take on JK Rowling 's views on issues relating to the trans community.

The former Doctor Who star is one of the subjects of the new interview series The Assembly, in which a celebrity guest faces a grilling from an audience of people with autism, learning disabilities or other neurodivergences.

As part of his interview, David was asked about what inspired him to become an outspoken ally for transgender and gender non-conforming people.

He responded: " When I was a teenager, there was this thing that Mrs Thatcher's government introduced called Section 28, which was about stopping the 'promotion' of homosexuality in schools, which was a weird umbrella term which was basically saying it was illegal to talk about being gay in school or to suggest that that might be a normal way of behaving.

"We look back on that now as a medieval, absurd thing to try and say. And I think the way the trans community is being demonised and othered is exactly the same. It's become this kind of political football."

Asked about Rowling - who has become a polarising figure due to her own commentary on trans issues in recent years - David described her as a " wonderful author who's created brilliant stories", to whom he wishes "no ill will".

He was quick to add: "But I hope that we can all as a society, just let people be. Just get out of people's way."

Last year, Rowling made a dig at the Rivals actor on X , commenting that her "thoughts and prayers are with David Tennant at this very difficult time" after Kemi Badenoch was appointed leader of the Conservative party.

Prior to that, David had made headlines when accepting an award for his allyship at the British LGBT Awards, saying in his speech that he wished Badenoch would "shut up" on the subject of trans issues.

David Tennant's episode of The Assembly is now available to view on ITVX.

Help and support:

The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838

Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819

LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370

Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554

Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK

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David Tennant Shares His Take On JK Rowling As He Discusses His Allyship To Trans Community

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The former Doctor Who star has been a vocal advocate for the transgender community in recent history.

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Tennant proved to the British public in 2009 that he had more to show as his time on 'Doctor Who' was coming to an end with him making 75 appearances on TV throughout the Christmas period.

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David Tennant to make 75 appearances on BBC over Christmas and New Year

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David Tennant, the actor who plays Doctor Who, will have made 75 appearances in three weeks on BBC TV channels and radio stations by the end of the Christmas period.

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Tennant has been outspoken about his issues with imposter syndrome. This endeared him to people with his honesty but also with his advice for others about embracing fear.

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David Tennant shares his advice for dealing with imposter syndrome

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“A bit of fear is good, and too much fear is not,” Tennant says.