History of David Tennant in Timeline
David Tennant is a Scottish actor widely recognized for his role as the tenth and fourteenth Doctor in the science fiction series "Doctor Who." He is also known for his roles in TV series such as "Broadchurch," "Jessica Jones," "Good Omens," and "Staged." His diverse filmography showcases his talent across genres ranging from drama to comedy and fantasy.
1912: Ulster Covenant Signing
David Tennant's maternal great-grandparents, William and Agnes Blair, were among the signatories of the Ulster Covenant in 1912.
April 1971: Birth of David Tennant
David John Tennant was born in Bathgate, Scotland in April 1971.
April 1971: Born in Bathgate
David Tennant was born David John McDonald in Bathgate, Scotland in April 1971.
1992: Strathblair Role
David Tennant appeared in the drama series Strathblair in 1992.
1994: Breakthrough Role
David Tennant landed his first major TV role as Campbell Bain in the BBC Scotland drama series Takin' Over the Asylum in 1994.
1995: Royal National Theatre Debut
David Tennant appeared at the Royal National Theatre in London, playing Nicholas Beckett in Joe Orton's What the Butler Saw in 1995.
1996: Jude Film Debut
David Tennant appeared in the film Jude in 1996.
1996: Shakespearean Debut
David Tennant's first Shakespearean role with the Royal Shakespeare Company was in As You Like It in 1996.
1998: Arkangel Shakespeare Series
David Tennant participated in several audio dramatizations of Shakespeare for the Arkangel Shakespeare series in 1998.
2000: Randall and Hopkirk Appearance
David Tennant appeared in the first episode of the revamped Randall and Hopkirk series in 2000.
May 2002: Lobby Hero at the Donmar Warehouse
David Tennant starred in Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero at the Donmar Warehouse, with the production running from April to May 2002.
August 2002: Lobby Hero Transfer
The production of Lobby Hero, starring David Tennant, transferred to the New Ambassadors Theatre and ran until August 2002.
2002: Boots Advertising Campaign
David Tennant starred in a series of television advertisements for Boots the Chemists during the 2002 Christmas season.
2003: Bright Young Things Release
The film Bright Young Things, featuring David Tennant, was released in 2003.
2003: The Pillowman Performance
David Tennant starred in the London production of Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman in 2003.
2004: He Knew He Was Right and Blackpool
David Tennant appeared in the television productions of He Knew He Was Right and Blackpool in 2004.
March 2005: Ninth Doctor's Debut
Doctor Who, with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, returned to British screens in March 2005.
December 2005: David Tennant Stars in "Secret Smile" and "Look Back in Anger"
David Tennant appeared in the ITV drama "Secret Smile" in December 2005. He also played Jimmy Porter in a stage production of "Look Back in Anger" at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, later reprising the role for a reading at the Royal Court Theatre's anniversary.
December 2005: Ranked Among Top Ten Influential British Television Artists
The Stage magazine placed David Tennant at No. 6 on their list of the top ten most influential British television artists of 2005.
2005: Appears in Labour Party Political Broadcast
As a supporter of the Labour Party, David Tennant appeared in one of their political broadcasts in 2005.
2005: Casanova, The Quatermass Experiment, and Harry Potter
David Tennant appeared in the television series Casanova and The Quatermass Experiment, as well as the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005.
2005: Doctor Who Debut
David Tennant made his first appearance as the Tenth Doctor in "The Parting of the Ways" episode of Doctor Who in 2005.
January 2006: Voted "Sexiest Man in the Universe"
Readers of The Pink Paper voted David Tennant as the "Sexiest Man in the Universe" in January 2006.
October 2006: Named "Scotland's Most Stylish Male"
David Tennant received the "Scotland's most stylish male" award at the Scottish Style Awards in October 2006.
2006: Wins First National Television Award for Most Popular Actor
David Tennant won his first National Television Award for Most Popular Actor in 2006.
2006: First Full Season as the Doctor
David Tennant starred in his first full thirteen-episode season as the Tenth Doctor in 2006.
2006: Alexander Litvinenko Poisoning
The dramatisation "Litvinenko," in which David Tennant starred, centers around the 2006 poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.
2006: First Appearance in MediaGuardian's Annual Media Rankings
David Tennant first appeared in MediaGuardian's annual media rankings in 2006, marking his growing influence.
June 2007: Directorial Debut and Time Crash
David Tennant made his directorial debut on Doctor Who Confidential and appeared alongside Peter Davison in the Doctor Who special "Time Crash" in June 2007.
July 2007: Ranked 24th Most Influential Person in British Media
MediaGuardian ranked David Tennant as the 24th most influential person in British media in July 2007.
November 2007: David Tennant Stars in "Learners"
David Tennant starred in "Learners", a BBC comedy drama written by and starring Jessica Hynes, airing on November 11, 2007. He played a Christian driving instructor who becomes the object of a student's affection.
2007: Second Full Season
David Tennant continued his role as the Tenth Doctor in his second full season in 2007.
2007: Named "Coolest Man on TV" and Wins National Television Award
In 2007, David Tennant was named "Coolest Man on TV" in a Radio Times survey and also won the National Television Award for Most Popular Actor.
October 2008: Departure Announcement
David Tennant announced he would be leaving Doctor Who after completing three full seasons in October 2008.
November 2008: David Tennant Plays Sir Arthur Eddington in "Einstein and Eddington"
In November 2008, David Tennant portrayed Sir Arthur Eddington in the BBC and HBO biographical film "Einstein and Eddington".
November 2008: David Tennant Performs as Hamlet and Berowne for the Royal Shakespeare Company
David Tennant joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 2008, performing as both Hamlet and Berowne in "Love's Labours Lost". He played these roles at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from August to November.
December 2008: Recognized as One of the Most Influential People in Show Business
In December 2008, The Stage magazine named David Tennant as one of the most influential people in show business.
December 2008: David Tennant's "Hamlet" Transfers to London's West End
David Tennant's performance as Hamlet with the RSC moved to London's West End in December 2008, playing at the Novello Theatre.
2008: Voted "Greenest Star on the Planet"
David Tennant was voted the "Greenest Star on the Planet" in an online vote by Playhouse Disney for the Playing for the Planet Awards in 2008.
2008: Meets Georgia Moffett on the Set of "Doctor Who"
David Tennant and his future wife, Georgia Moffett, met in 2008 while filming the "Doctor Who" episode "The Doctor's Daughter."
2008: Hamlet at the RSC
David Tennant played the title character in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Hamlet in 2008.
2008: Wins Third National Television Award and Ranked on Cosmopolitan's Sexiest Man List
David Tennant won his third National Television Award for Most Popular Actor in 2008 and was also voted the 16th Sexiest Man in the World by Cosmopolitan.
2008: Third Full Season
David Tennant completed his third full season as the Tenth Doctor in 2008.
January 2009: David Tennant Returns to "Hamlet" after Injury and Films BBC Two Version
After a brief absence due to a prolapsed disc, Tennant returned to the role of Hamlet on January 3, 2009, continuing until the production closed on January 10, 2009. A filmed version of the RSC's 2008 "Hamlet", featuring Tennant, was produced for BBC Two in the same year.
March 2009: David Tennant Presents Red Nose Day and Performs with Franz Ferdinand
On March 13, 2009, Tennant co-presented Red Nose Day with Davina McCall and played guitar with Franz Ferdinand on "No You Girls" for a Comic Relief episode of "Top of the Pops".
October 2009: The Sarah Jane Adventures Appearance
David Tennant guest-starred as the Doctor in a two-part story for the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures in October 2009.
October 2009: David Tennant Hosts "Masterpiece Contemporary" and Films "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer"
David Tennant began hosting the "Masterpiece Contemporary" segment on the American Public Broadcasting Service in October 2009. He also filmed the pilot for the NBC legal drama "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer" in December of that year, portraying a lawyer grappling with anxiety; however, the series wasn't picked up.
December 2009: Release of "St. Trinian's II: The Legend of Fritton's Gold"
David Tennant's film "St. Trinian's II: The Legend of Fritton's Gold", which he filmed in the summer of 2009, was released in December 2009.
January 2010: Regeneration
David Tennant's final episode as the Tenth Doctor aired in January 2010, with Matt Smith taking over the role.
March 2010: David Tennant Stars in BBC Radio 4's "Of Mice and Men"
On March 7, 2010, David Tennant played the character of George in a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of "Of Mice and Men" as part of their "Classic Serial" series.
April 2010: Lends Voice to Labour Election Broadcast
David Tennant showed his support for the Labour Party by lending his voice to their election broadcast in April 2010.
October 2010: David Tennant Stars in "Single Father"
Beginning in October 2010, Tennant starred as Dave in the British drama series "Single Father", portraying a man raising his five children alone after his partner's death. This role earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards in 2010.
2010: Wins Fourth National Television Award for Most Popular Actor
David Tennant received his fourth National Television Award for Most Popular Actor in 2010.
2010: End of an Era
David Tennant's run as the Tenth Doctor ended in January 2010 after four special episodes.
April 2011: David Tennant Featured on Royal Mail Stamp
A photograph of David Tennant as Hamlet was used on a Royal Mail stamp released on April 12, 2011, in honor of the Royal Shakespeare Company's 50th anniversary.
September 2011: David Tennant Stars in "United" and "This is Jinsy", and Begins Filming "True Love"
David Tennant starred in the film "United", based on the Manchester United "Busby Babes" and the 1958 Munich air disaster, playing coach Jimmy Murphy in 2011. He also appeared in the comedy series "This is Jinsy" and started filming the BBC One drama "True Love" in September 2011.
October 2011: David Tennant Begins Filming "Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger"
In October 2011, filming began for the comedy "Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger" in Coventry, starring David Tennant.
2011: Marries Georgia Moffett
David Tennant and Georgia Moffett were married in 2011.
January 2012: David Tennant Joins the Royal Shakespeare Company Board
In January 2012, Tennant was appointed to the board of the Royal Shakespeare Company, serving on the selection committee responsible for interviewing and choosing a new artistic director.
June 2012: David Tennant Films "Spies of Warsaw" and "The Politician's Husband", and Presents "Comedy World Cup"
Between April and June 2012, David Tennant filmed the BBC Four series "Spies of Warsaw" in Poland, portraying the lead role of Jean-François Mercier in an adaptation of Alan Furst's novel. Starting June 9, 2012, he filmed the three-part BBC Two political drama "The Politician's Husband", playing an ambitious cabinet minister. That year, Tennant also hosted the "Comedy World Cup" quiz show.
June 2012: "True Love" Featuring David Tennant Premieres on BBC One
The BBC One drama series "True Love", starring David Tennant and utilizing a semi-improvised format, premiered in June 2012.
2012: First Appearance as Huyang in "The Clone Wars"
David Tennant first voiced the character Huyang in two episodes of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" in 2012.
2012: Introduces Ed Miliband at Labour Party Conference
David Tennant introduced Ed Miliband, the then-leader of the Labour Party, at the Labour Party Conference in 2012.
January 2013: David Tennant to Return to RSC as Richard II
David Tennant's return to the Royal Shakespeare Company for their 2013 winter season was announced on January 23, 2013. He would play the title role in "Richard II" at Stratford-upon-Avon from October 10 to November 16.
July 2013: David Tennant Films "What We Did on Our Holiday"
From June 17 to July 30, 2013, David Tennant was filming the semi-improvised comedy "What We Did on Our Holiday" in Scotland, appearing alongside Rosamund Pike and Billy Connolly.
November 2013: 50th Anniversary Celebrations
David Tennant reprised his role as the Tenth Doctor for the 50th anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor" and appeared in the comedy homage "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot" in November 2013.
November 2013: "The Escape Artist" Starring David Tennant Airs on BBC One
The three-part series "The Escape Artist", starring David Tennant, aired on BBC One in October and November 2013.
2013: David Tennant Cast in "Postman Pat: The Movie"
It was announced in September 2011 that David Tennant would lend his voice to the animated film adaptation of "Postman Pat", planned for a 3D theatrical release in spring 2013.
2013: 50th Anniversary Special
David Tennant returned to Doctor Who for the 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor," alongside Matt Smith and John Hurt in November 2013.
2013: David Tennant Begins Starring in "Broadchurch"
David Tennant joined the cast of the ITV detective series "Broadchurch", playing the role of DI Alec Hardy from 2013.
2013: Voted Third Best Dressed Man in Britain
GQ readers voted David Tennant as the third best dressed man in Britain in 2013.
January 2014: David Tennant's "Richard II" Transfers to London's Barbican Centre
Following its run in Stratford-upon-Avon, David Tennant's performance as "Richard II" with the RSC transferred to London's Barbican Centre, running from December 9, 2013, to January 25, 2014.
May 2014: David Tennant Films "Gracepoint", the US Remake of "Broadchurch"
From January to May 2014, David Tennant filmed the US adaptation of "Broadchurch", titled "Gracepoint", reprising his role for the American audience.
September 2014: Release of "What We Did on Our Holiday"
The comedy film "What We Did on Our Holiday", featuring David Tennant, Rosamund Pike, and Billy Connolly, was released in September 2014.
2014: Kilgrave in Jessica Jones
David Tennant portrayed Kilgrave in the superhero series Jessica Jones in 2014.
2014: Remains Neutral on Scottish Independence Referendum
David Tennant chose to remain neutral on the issue of Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum.
February 2015: David Tennant Appears on "Just a Minute"
On February 9, 2015, Tennant made an appearance on the Radio 4 panel show "Just a Minute", achieving the most successful debut performance on the show.
October 2015: Big Finish Productions Announcement
It was announced that David Tennant would return to voice the Tenth Doctor for three new audio dramas from Big Finish Productions in October 2015.
November 2015: David Tennant Stars as Kilgrave in "Jessica Jones"
All 13 episodes of the Marvel and Netflix series "Jessica Jones", featuring David Tennant as the villainous Kilgrave, were released on November 20, 2015.
2015: Jessica Jones Role
David Tennant began his role as Kilgrave in the superhero series Jessica Jones in 2015.
2015: Contributes Voice to Labour Party General Election Broadcast
David Tennant lent his voice to a Labour Party General Election broadcast in 2015.
2015: National Television Award
David Tennant received the National Television Award for Special Recognition in 2015.
February 2016: David Tennant Begins Filming "Mad to Be Normal"
Tennant started filming "Mad to Be Normal" (formerly titled "Metanoia") in February 2016, portraying the Scottish psychiatrist R. D. Laing in the biopic.
May 2016: Big Finish Release
The three audio dramas featuring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor were released by Big Finish Productions in May 2016.
May 2016: David Tennant Becomes the Voice of Scrooge McDuck
Following the death of Alan Young in May 2016, Tennant took on the role of Scrooge McDuck's voice for the Disney XD reboot of "DuckTales".
2016: David Tennant Reprises "Richard II" at the Barbican and in New York
David Tennant reprised his role as Richard II at the Barbican Theatre in 2016. The production then transferred to the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.
November 2017: More Big Finish Releases
Three additional audio dramas starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor were released by Big Finish Productions in November 2017.
2017: Voice of Scrooge McDuck
David Tennant began voicing Scrooge McDuck in the animated series DuckTales in 2017.
2017: David Tennant's Run on "Broadchurch" Concludes
David Tennant's time on the detective series "Broadchurch" concluded in 2017, marking the end of his run as DI Alec Hardy.
2017: Expresses Support for Independent Scotland
Following Brexit, David Tennant stated his support for an independent Scotland in the event of another referendum in 2017.
2017: Broadchurch Finale
The crime drama series Broadchurch, starring David Tennant, aired its final episode in 2017.
2017: Premiere of "Mad to Be Normal" and Release of "You, Me and Him"
The film "Mad to Be Normal", starring David Tennant as R. D. Laing, premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in 2017. In the same year, Tennant appeared in "You, Me and Him", the directorial debut of Daisy Aitkens, which was co-produced by Georgia Tennant, his wife. Additionally, he starred in Patrick Marber's stage production of "Don Juan in Soho" at Wyndham's Theatre from March to June 2017.
July 2018: Muppets Appearance
David Tennant reprised his role as the Tenth Doctor for a live performance with the Muppets at The Muppets Take the O2 show in London in July 2018.
2018: Release of "Bad Samaritan"
David Tennant played villain Cale Erendreich in the thriller film "Bad Samaritan," which was released in 2018.
February 2019: Launch of "David Tennant Does a Podcast With..."
David Tennant launched his podcast, "David Tennant Does a Podcast With...," in February 2019.
May 2019: "Good Omens" Season 1 Release on Amazon Prime Video
In May 2019, the first season of the series "Good Omens," starring David Tennant as Crowley, was released on Amazon Prime Video.
2019: Good Omens Premiere
David Tennant starred as Crowley in the fantasy series Good Omens, which premiered in 2019.
January 2020: "Good Omens" Season 1 Release on BBC Two
In January 2020, the first season of "Good Omens" premiered on BBC Two after its initial release on Amazon Prime Video.
January 2020: Premiere of "Deadwater Fell"
In January 2020, "Deadwater Fell," a Scottish true crime miniseries starring David Tennant, premiered on Channel 4.
September 2020: Release of "Des" and International Emmy Win
September 2020 saw the release of "Des," a three-part miniseries on ITV where David Tennant portrayed serial killer Dennis Nilsen. His performance earned him the International Emmy Award for Best Actor.
2020: Staged Begins
David Tennant started appearing in the comedy series Staged in 2020.
2021: End of DuckTales Role
David Tennant finished voicing Scrooge McDuck in the animated series DuckTales in 2021.
May 2022: Announcement of David Tennant's Return to "Doctor Who"
In May 2022, it was announced that David Tennant would reprise his role as the Doctor for the show's 60th anniversary, alongside Catherine Tate as Donna Noble.
September 2022: Premiere of "Inside Man"
David Tennant starred as Reverend Harry Watling in "Inside Man," which premiered in September 2022 on BBC One.
October 2022: David Tennant Revealed as the Fourteenth Doctor
The ending of the "Doctor Who" special episode "The Power of the Doctor", aired in October 2022, revealed Tennant's return as the Fourteenth Doctor instead of the previously assumed Tenth Doctor. Ncuti Gatwa was also announced as the Fifteenth Doctor.
December 2022: Release of "Litvinenko"
December 2022 saw the release of the ITV1 drama "Litvinenko," where Tennant played the titular role.
2022: Staged Concludes
David Tennant finished his role in the comedy series Staged in 2022.
August 2023: Voice Role in "Ahsoka"
David Tennant reprised his role as the droid Huyang in the live-action "Star Wars" series "Ahsoka" in August 2023.
December 2023: Airing of the 60th Anniversary "Doctor Who" Specials
The three special episodes of "Doctor Who", celebrating the show's 60th anniversary and featuring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, aired between November and December 2023.
2023: Return to Doctor Who
David Tennant returned to Doctor Who as the Fourteenth Doctor in 2023.
February 2024: Host of the 77th British Academy Film Awards
In February 2024, David Tennant hosted the 77th British Academy Film Awards.
2024: Receives LGBT+ Celebrity Ally Award and Criticizes Kemi Badenoch
David Tennant was awarded the LGBT+ Celebrity Ally award at the 2024 British LGBT Awards. During his acceptance speech, he criticized Kemi Badenoch, the Women and Equalities Minister, for her stance on trans issues.
2024: Huyang Cameo in "Young Jedi Adventures"
David Tennant's character, Huyang, made a cameo appearance in the "Star Wars" series "Young Jedi Adventures" in 2024.