David Tennant’s signature pinstripe-suit-and-Converses costume might be the most iconic look in modern Doctor Who, but turns out the former Time Lord had to really fight to get one part of his outfit signed off: the shoes.
Speaking at New York City’s PaleyFest (via Insider), Tennant told a crowd that his choice of footwear had been a "really unpopular choice" with the show's design team. “I had these really old, battered, cream-coloured Converse shoes that I brought in and I said, 'I want to wear these.' And people didn't like that idea," Tennant recalled. "I had to really fight for them. They were like, 'No, no, no. I've got these wonderful boots.’”
He continued: "They're beautiful. They're beautiful boots. But I want to wear these crappy old trainers."
Tennant went on to say members of the crew were "ganging up" on him about the shoes, saying they would be "too cold" or "too warm”.
However, Tennant stood his ground regardless. "That was the only thing I absolutely insisted on, battered old shoes, because that always just felt like that was the right thing to do," he added. "I'm glad I did."
The Good Omens actor also revealed the unlikely source of inspiration for his Doctor’s look: TV chef Jamie Oliver.
"I remember seeing Jamie Oliver on a chat show wearing — not the same kind of suit [as the Doctor]. He wore a suit with his trainers, and I thought, there's something about that kind of says the right thing. It's kind of like, 'I'm sort of an official, but I'm really not," he explained.
Turns out that Whovians have much to thanks Jamie Oliver for. Although let's just be thankful Oliver's shoes were the only part of his noughties fashion sense that inspired Tennant...
Jamie Oliver with wife Jules in 2005
We're not sure even the Daleks could take The Doctor seriously in that suit.
Doctor Who continues on BBC1 on Sunday 14th October at 6.55pm
