“Don’t Touch It. It’s Not Going To Work”: David Tennant’s Agent Told Him Not To Accept Doctor Who Offer
David Tennant explains why his agent originally told him not to accept his Doctor Who casting offer. Tennant originally played the Tenth Doctor on the classic long-running British TV series from 2005 to 2008. He later returned to play the Fourteenth Doctor for the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials in late fall 2023, reuniting with co-star Catherine Tate, who portrayed Donna Noble. He was replaced by Ncuti Gatwa, who is now playing the Fifteenth Doctor, soon entering his second full season as the Time Lord.
Talking on David Tennant Does a Podcast With… (via RadioTimes.com), Tennant spoke about why he almost turned down his role. The actor explained that his former agent felt he should “not touch it,” leading him to almost turn down the part. He did admit that it “takes a bit of getting used to” suddenly being thrown into the public eye. His parents, for example, were suddenly thrust into the limelight in a way they had not been before, urging Tennant to want to “protect them.” Check out the full quote from Tennant below:
There was definitely a moment where I wasn’t [going to do Doctor Who].
About 48 hours after they asked me, and 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.’ Not my current agent. A previous brilliant agent who’s since retired, but she didn’t call that correctly.
Suddenly you’ve got to establish what the rules are for yourself, and there’s not really anyone to help you or teach you. And that can be a little bit challenging. I’ve found things like my parents being doorstepped a lot early on, I found that really difficult because I felt like I had to protect them and they were not interested in being protected.
What This Means For Doctor Who
Tennant is not the only actor to speak about the sudden rise to fame due to Doctor Who. In a December 2023 interview, Gatwa noted that past Doctor Who actors had warned him that being on the series would be “the maddest time” in his life, but they all told him to “enjoy it.” Both Tennant and Gatwa’s statements speak to how big of a deal being on this BBC show is. The series is embedded within the cultural zeitgeist and thus brings its stars to a sudden level of fame that not everyone is equipped to handle.
In Tennant’s case, he implies that taking the Doctor part was the right decision, saying his former agent “didn’t call that correctly” when she discouraged him from accepting the role. Being on Doctor Who
Our Take On David Tennant’s Doctor Who Casting
Ultimately, Tennant’s decision was the right call for audiences. He breathed life into Doctor Who, which really helped to restore the revival series to the joys and whimsy of its heyday. The Tenth Doctor is regularly regarded as one of the best Time Lords in the long-running series. As such, Tennant’s decision to defy his agent’s orders ultimately worked out for both him and viewers.
