David Tennant Almost Said No to Doctor Who for a Surprising Reason

Audiences know and love David Tennant for his performance as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, but a recent conversation has revealed that Tennant almost didn’t take on the role of the alien for an unexpected reason. During a recent episode of David Tennant Does a Podcast With…, the actor stated that he almost passed on the role of the Tenth Doctor due to some advice from the person who was his agent back in the day: “About 48 hours after they asked me. I had to go process everything that it meant. I had an agent at the time who was like, ‘Don’t touch it. It’s not going to work.”

The Tenth Doctor was introduced after Christopher Eccleston stepped away from the titular role. Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) was left shocked as she witnessed the first regeneration from the modern iteration of the series. David Tennant would go on to lead three seasons of the show, as well as several television specials that expanded on the Time Lord’s narrative. He was eventually replaced by future House of the Dragon star Matt Smith. Many fans missed the Tenth Doctor, who has since been voted The Doctor’s most popular incarnation in multiple fan polls, and were overjoyed when Tennant reprised the role in Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary special in 2013.

David Tennant almost missed out an incredible Doctor Who legacy

Tennant’s second return to Doctor Who was even more surprising. After Disney+ acquired Doctor Who‘s international distribution rights, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor regenerated into a new version of the Doctor played by Tennant. The story implied that the Time Lord needed to remember something important, which is why his body had brought back a familiar face. In reality, Tennant was excited to give the role another go, with Doctor Who fans happy to see one of their favorites back on the screen.

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David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor would quickly separate from the current version of the Time Lord (portrayed by Ncuti Gatwa). The Fifteenth Doctor is the one who has been leading the series for more than a year, with Gatwa reprising the role in the upcoming new season of Doctor Who. The breakout star from Sex Education has injected contagious optimism into the role. As the character continues to evolve through Gatwa’s work, it’s interesting to look back and realize that Tennant almost passed on the role so many years ago. The decision to stay in the TARDIS changed Tennant’s career forever (not to mention his personal life, since he met his wife, Georgia Tennant, while working together on a Doctor Who episode). Time will tell how Gatwa’s time as the Doctor will affect his career trajectory.

Beyond working on Doctor Who, Tennant has been seen in the Harry Potter franchise and Prime Video’s adaptation of Good Omens. The actor portrayed Barty Crouch, Jr. in the Wizarding World based on the successful series of books. In Good Omens, Tennant charmed a large audience as the demon named Crowley, but Tennant’s turn as the Doctor will likely remain what he’s best remembered for. Fans can be grateful that Tennant chose not to listen to his agent’s advice when deciding if he would become a part of Doctor Who.

The new season of Doctor Who premieres on Disney+ on April 12.