David Tennant has revealed the moment the role of the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who was first offered to him, when speaking with showrunner Russell T Davies.

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Davies was appearing on Tennant's podcast, David Tennant Does a Podcast With..., when the two spoke about the moment, which came as Tennant was starring in Davies's BBC series Casanova.

Tennant said: "I think it was the second last night of shooting in Manchester. You were up in Manchester, and you and Julie Gardner invited me round your house."

Davies joked that they "trapped" him, as Tennant revealed that they showed him a VHS cassette of early cuts of the first and sixth episodes in season 1, Rose and Dalek.

"One of them was more finished than the other," Tennant said, "but it was just to kind of come and see because we'd talked about it, and I thought I was just being invited round for a little sneak. And you showed me these two episodes, which was great fun. And then you and Julie, sort of, out of the blue, sprang this idea."

"Julie said it," Davies added. "I wish I'd said it. She led the way saying 'Would you ever be interested..?'"

The Tenth Doctor standing on the street holding his hand out in conversation, while Rose and two men in high-vis jackets stand around him with their fingers on their mouths.
David Tennant and Billie Piper in Doctor Who. BBC

Davies said this night was "completely" stage managed to find out whether Tennant would be interested, and see how he responded to the show being retooled for a modern era.

He then revealed Tennant's response, saying: "There was a pause, and you went, 'I want a coat down to there.' And you pointed at your ankle. And I was like, 'We got him!'"

During their conversation, Davies also revealed that he returned to Doctor Who for a new era because he wanted to "protect" the show, while he also said that there have been "conversations" regarding the future of the show beyond his current tenure, and who could take over as the next showrunner.

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Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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