David Tennant: I wish I had the fleetness of thought to become a politician He’s been critically lauded for his work on stage and screen – but, David Tennant tells Chloë Hamilton, he still […]

He’s been critically lauded for his work on stage and screen – but, David Tennant tells Chloë Hamilton, he still worries about where his next part will come from.

It’s as I’m shuffling into a cramped elevator with David Tennant ahead of our interview that I realise how tempting it is to make Doctor Who jokes in front of the man himself.

We’re accompanied by a few members of his entourage and it’s a tight squeeze in the slightly sweaty lift.

As we plummet downwards, we stand chin-to-chin, elbows politely tucked in, trying to make ourselves as small as possible. If only this lift were bigger on the inside, I think.

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Alien hunter

There’s more to Tennant than the Tardis, though. In fact, he’s about to hop from one British institution to another. This time, Fireman Sam.

The 46-year-old plays evil TV presenter Buck Douglas in the new film Fireman Sam: Alien Alert!, which marks the 30th anniversary of the show.

Naturally, there’s a sci-fi twist. Douglas – who hosts his own show, Alien Quest – is an alien hunter. “He’s a little bit unscrupulous,” says Tennant. “He’ll find aliens whether they’re there or not.”

Fortunately for everyone in the village of Pontypandy, Fireman Sam has his eye on him. “He sniffs a bad’un,” laughs the actor.

This isn’t the first animation Tennant has been involved in. He also lent his voice to 2014’s Postman Pat: The Movie, and will be the voice of Scrooge McDuck in Disney’s DuckTales when it airs later this year.

“I’m sure that’s part of why we love animation, particularly as children, but throughout our life it is a magic. It’s an alchemy.”

He doesn’t need much persuading to take part. “I’m so fascinated by animation,” he says. “It does feel kind of magical. I’m sure that’s part of why we love it, particularly as children, but throughout our life it is a magic. It’s an alchemy.”

Critical acclaim

Tennant is as springy in the flesh as he is on screen. When we’re introduced, he bounds over to shake my hand energetically.

He’s bearded and wearing a rather jazzy shirt, which I compliment him on. He looks down, seemingly bemused, and plucks at the item of clothing with his thumb and forefinger as if he’d forgotten what he was wearing. “This old thing,” he says, with a teasing grin.

Since his stint in space, Tennant’s star has risen exponentially. He’s flitted between stage, screen and the voiceover booth with the ease of an actor who knows his craft inside out.

On stage he won critical acclaim for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, taking on both Hamlet and Richard II.

Most recently, he has wowed in the titular role in Patrick Marber’s Don Juan in Soho, which has been playing at Wyndham’s Theatre, a job he describes as “delicious”.

“Any kind of freelance lifestyle has that sense that the floor is about to fall from under you at any time. You never take it for granted, you never breathe easy.”

He also won plaudits for his turn as baddie Kilgrave in Netflix’s Jessica Jones in 2015, and recently returned to our screens as DI Alec Hardy in the third series of Broadchurch, drawing rave reviews for his gruff, no-nonsense performance.

On the horizon, too, is a second series of John Morton’s W1A, in which Tennant plays the brilliantly deadpan narrator. Oh, and a new project which he can’t speak about at the moment.

A busy man, then. But the life of an actor, Tennant explains, is such that you never know what role, if any, is around the corner.

I must look sceptical, because he becomes insistent. “Any kind of freelance lifestyle has that sense that the floor is about to fall from under you at any time,” he says. “You never take it for granted, you never breathe easy.” Surely, with his canon of work, he breathes easier than most? He says not. “It’s always a bit of a punt.”

Heart throb

I’m surprised to learn, too, that the actor is insecure. “Who isn’t though,” he says. “Actors are a terrible bunch of worriers.”

It can’t hurt that he’s become a bit of a heartthrob, though. He cringes. I tell him that he was recently voted “hotter” than fellow actor Tom Hardy. He cringes some more. “Anyone who’s voted for that… I mean, I thank them for their flattery. But, you know, you don’t want to see me when I wake up in the morning.”

I’m sure many people would disagree, but I allow him his coyness.

Broadchurch

We move, almost seamlessly, from one Hardy to another. Tennant’s portrayal of DI Alec Hardy in ITV series Broadchurch has quickly become one of his most celebrated roles, although when I suggest that the brooding detective “won hearts”, the actor scoffs, exclaiming loudly: “He’s a grumpy old bastard!”

“Olivia Colman is lovely to work with, lovely to be around.”

The actor’s on-screen chemistry with Olivia Colman, who played DS Ellie Miller, led to many fans dubbing the duo one of TV’s best ever double acts.

Broadchurch might be over – its third series was its last – but will Tennant and Colman work together again? “Oh yes. She’s lovely to work with, lovely to be around. And she’s a pal. I’d love to do something with her again.”

Doctor Who

Halfway through our interview, I decide to broach Doctor Who. I feel almost embarrassed mentioning it – Tennant has, I’m sure, spent countless interviews recounting his time in the show, which he describes to me now as “part of the cultural furniture”.

“Doctor Who is part of the cultural furniture.”

But it seems pertinent to ask about the series, especially considering we’re about to bid farewell to Peter Capaldi and usher in a new Doctor.

Tennant refuses to be drawn on who he thinks should take the role next, claiming it’s a “toxic question” and holding his hands up in mock surrender as he does so. “It’s a lovely opportunity for whoever gets it, and I am jealous of someone starting out on that journey because it’s a real trip. I mean, it’s bonkers, but it’s not like anything else.”

Does he think the new Doctor should be a woman? Perhaps Colman, who has been tipped? “I think Olivia probably has other things to do,” he says, and that’s the end of that.

A Labour man

I decide to move on to slightly more stable ground: politics. We’re speaking ahead of the general election; Tennant says he plans to vote for Labour.

In fact, he is a vocal supporter of the party and in the 2015 election did the voiceover for their election broadcast. He’s concerned, though, that the party might be about to give the Tories a mandate he doesn’t think they should have. Is he a fan of Corbyn? “I’m a fan of the Labour Party,” he answers, a true politician.

“I don’t understand how you can’t think about society as a whole, how you can’t understand that we all have responsibilities for each other.”

Has he ever been tempted to become one? “Oh God, no,” he exclaims. “I wish I had the fleetness of thought and the brilliance to be good enough to go into politics, but I suspect I don’t.”

I’m sure people would listen to him. “But what would I be saying?” he asks, his voice rising to almost hysterical levels. “What gibberish would I be coming out with?”

He could easily get someone else to sort out that bit. He shakes his head, laughing: “I draw your attention to the other side of the Atlantic, where I think someone thought that was what was going to happen.”

Although his family weren’t “ardently political”, Tennant thinks his upbringing did influence his leanings.

The actor’s late father was a church minister and Tennant says now that his parents instilled in him a strong sense of morality. “I don’t understand how you can’t think about society as a whole, how you can’t understand that we all have responsibilities for each other and that we have to look out for the people who can’t look out for themselves,” he says. “I just think that’s common sense.”

His father used to come into his school every Wednesday to conduct assembly. “Sometimes I was thrilled, sometimes he embarrassed me, sometimes I found him excruciating, and other times I was desperately proud of him.”

Family life

He believes his own children – he has four with wife Georgia Moffett – probably feel the same about his job. “You’d have to ask them when they’re old enough to be able to be philosophical about it,” he says. “Your situation is what it is and when you’re a child it’s hard to see that with any objectivity.”

Being a busy actor with a young family is difficult, he admits. “Often one is pulled away from home to do things and that’s hard with a young family. You just have to try to find the balance.”

As he is famously protective of his private life – it’s one of the reasons he’s not on social media – I’m surprised to hear Tennant talking about his family.

“I’m not going to deny that I did change a nappy this morning, but neither does it help for me to go into too much detail about it.”

He’s tentative, though. “There’s nothing to be gained from sharing every corner of your private life, especially when it involves people who’ve not made the decision to be public figures,” he says. “It doesn’t illuminate the work for me to start talking about the nappy I changed this morning. I’m not going to deny that I did change a nappy this morning, but neither does it help for me to go into too much detail about it.”

At the end of our interview, a sprightly Tennant leaps off the sofa and we head back to the lift.

No Doctor Who jokes spring to mind this time and I realise, as I exit the building, that there’s more to this man than space and time. Not that that stops me wanting to hop in the Tardis and travel back to do it all again.

‘Fireman Sam: Alien Alert’ is released in cinemas on 17 June. For ticketing information: firemansam-alienmovie.co.uk