Scottish actor David Tennant has opened up about the immense pressure he faced when he first stepped into the TARDIS as the Tenth Doctor, a role that would define his career for a generation of fans.
The Daunting Christmas Day Debut
In a candid new interview for The Whoniverse Show, the 54-year-old reflected on his debut in the 2005 Doctor Who Christmas Special. This episode, created by Russell T Davies, not only introduced Tennant's Time Lord but also established the annual festive special tradition for the revived series. "You're in everyone's living room on Christmas Day," Tennant recalled. "There was a lot of pressure and a lot of scrutiny. But also how joyous to be in the middle."
A Natural Fit for a Lifelong Fan
Despite the initial weight of expectation, the Harry Potter star said embodying the Doctor felt surprisingly natural. As a lifelong fan of the show, he found he didn't need lengthy discussions with showrunner Russell T Davies to find his character's voice. "People are always like, 'Oh, how did you decide how your Doctor was going to be?...' And we absolutely didn't at all," he explained. "It just made sense." Tennant credited Davies's writing, stating, "When they're written that well, you just need to say the words. So it was not something that ever felt mysterious to me."
A New On-Screen Partnership with Daughter Olive
The interview emerges alongside significant family news for the actor. It has been confirmed that Tennant's 14-year-old daughter, Olive Tennant, will star alongside him in the second season of the Disney+ drama Rivals. She will play Camilla Baddingham, the daughter of his character, Lord Tony Baddingham. This marks the first time the pair have acted together on screen.
Olive is no newcomer to acting, with previous credits in the Oscar-nominated film Belfast and the BBC series Avoidance. According to reports, filming has already begun, with Amelie Child-Villiers cast as her on-screen sister, Beatrice. A Disney+ spokesperson confirmed the casting, stating the young actors will portray "Tony and Monica Baddingham’s daughters."
David Tennant, who originally left Doctor Who in 2010, made a celebrated return to the franchise in 2023 for its 60th anniversary, proving the enduring connection between the actor and the iconic role he first took on under the Christmas spotlight nearly two decades ago.
