David Tennant on his life-long Doctor Who fandom and Good Omens backlash

The second season of the hit fantasy series follows on from the one originally told in the book by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, with the cast also boasting the likes of Tennant's son Ty and his father-in-law Peter Davison.

But as well as starring in the second instalment of the popular show, Tennant is gearing up for another iconic role this year in Doctor Who's 60th anniversary in November.

Tennant spoke with the The Radio Times Podcast about the fact he's been a longstanding fan of Doctor Who, as well as being relieved at his son's acting abilities and the positive aspects of his upbringing in the Church of Scotland.

Christianity and control of the TV remote: enjoy!

What’s the view from your sofa?

I’m in the middle of a press junket, so it’s not my sofa; it’s a posh London hotel sofa that Amazon Prime have paid for. What can I see? A coffee machine and a lot of bottles of Coke. I don’t know if they’re all for me… There’s also a floral padded headboard, the bed has been removed and a conference table has been put in its place. None of this is normal or relatable. I sound like an entitled, lunatic actor.

What do you enjoy watching at home?

We’ve just finished season two of Slow Horses. Gary Oldman and Jack Lowden are great. I like getting lost in a story. When a drama grabs you, you’re caught up in it, intrigued, bewitched – that’s my favourite thing. I had it with Succession.

Who controls the remote in your household?

I control the remote because my wife Georgia doesn’t want the hassle of it. Well, I mean, I hold the remote and press the buttons – but it might be fair to say that Georgia controls it.

What’s your first ever TV memory?

Doctor Who – watching Jon Pertwee turn into Tom Baker. It’s weirdly specific, especially considering things that have happened in my life since. I remember thinking, "That man just turned into another man. That’s wild." It’s so utterly unpredictable the way things worked out [landing the lead in Doctor Who], it’s so fantastically unlikely. The odds are so ludicrously small that if I think about it too much, it makes me feel vertiginous.

Your parents supported your acting ambitions but encouraged you to have a back-up plan, too. Why was that?

You want your children to have a nice life. Acting is able to provide you with that, but it won’t necessarily do so. There isn’t security. My parents didn’t know anyone who had been an actor. They were right to say, "This sounds like a precarious profession. You might want to have a back-up plan." I didn’t listen to them. That’s the thing about deciding to go into acting – you have to be pretty cavalier and single-minded. Otherwise, it will give up on you. You have to put up with a bit of potential brutalisation.

Did you impart similar advice to your son Ty when he started acting?

When you see you child act for the first time you think, "What if they’re s**t? How will I cope? Do I tell them?" Luckily, Ty’s really good. He has a natural confidence and ability. That was, first of all, a huge relief and then a matter of great pride, if I’m honest.

I love watching him work. But it remains an unfair profession and just being good at it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to do it for the rest of your life. I think he’s got every chance.

Good Omens, in which you play a demon alongside Michael Sheen as an angel, received backlash for its representation of religion…

You’re right, there was a group that complained. It’s not irreligious. It doesn’t mock religion. It mocks some of the attitudes that religion vomits forth.

Your father was a minister. How did your upbringing influence your approach to the role?

My upbringing was specifically Church of Scotland Christian. My parents were Christians in the proper sense of the word. I don’t want to get controversial here, but that was about values, kindness, tolerance, helping people out, going the extra mile to be charitable, community. That’s the version of Christianity that I got from them.

I may not call it Christianity any more, but I certainly think it’s a way of living and it’s something I’m forever grateful to them for. That was their religion.

I find it difficult to recognise some of the versions of religion that are more unforgiving, fundamentalist and unbending because that to me is not how I recognise the teachings of the Bible.

Good Omens season 2 is available to stream now on Prime Video – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days. Plus, read our guides to the best Amazon Prime series and the best movies on Amazon Prime.

Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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