TEN THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT DAVID TENNANT

Tuesday, December 25 2007, 06:00 GMT
By Beth Hilton

It's been a whirlwind ride for David Tennant since he crash landed on our screens as the tenth Doctor in 2005. Almost from the first time the theatre regular stepped into the Tardis, he's been showered with accolades of all shapes and sizes for his cheeky take on the role. He's been named the coolest character on TV, the most powerful actor and the sexiest man in the universe, not to mention Doctor Who's best ever leading man. But what does the nation's favourite extraterrestrial get up to when he's not wise-cracking his way through time and space? As he prepares to save the world again in the show's Christmas Special, we dish up ten fascinating facts about the Time Lord's most dashing alter-ego.

1. David was born David John McDonald in 1971 in West Lothian, Scotland. His father was a Presbyterian minister and is now a member of the Scottish cabinet.

2. David was barely out of nappies when he decided to become an actor. He recalls: "I was very small, about 3 or 4 I think, and just wanted to be the people on telly telling these wonderful stories. Obviously the idea grew and matured with me but I can't ever remember wanting to do anything else."

3. David was so crazy about Doctor Who as a child that he had a Tom Baker doll, made his gran knit him a multi-coloured scarf and once wrote a school essay declaring that he would one day play the role.

4. David is a huge fan of Madonna. The first single he bought was 'Like A Virgin' and he credits the Queen of pop with kick-starting his sexual awakening at the age of 13. Oo-er!

5. David took his pseudonym from Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant after finding that another actor shared his real name. He explains: "I was on the bus looking through Smash Hits and I saw Neil Tennant. I thought it would be a good name as it's got a good number of consonants in it." Well, it's as sensible a reason as any!

6. David once lodged with Arabella Weir from The Fast Show and is godfather to her youngest child. He says of the experience: "She probably corrupted me, but I probably needed corrupting a little bit."

7. David received such a scathing review playing King Arthur on stage in only his second job that it made him weep. The critic wrote: "The cast of 18 are uniformly excellent with the exception of David Tennant, who lacks any charm or ability whatsoever." No doubt that nasty man is eating his words now.

8. David counts McDonald's restaurants, astrology, Cliff Richard and the Conservative party among his biggest dislikes. On the other hand, he adores Honeynut Shredded Wheat, Alfred Hitchcock, The West Wing and The Proclaimers.

9. David has auditioned no fewer than six times for a part in Scottish detective drama Taggart, with no success. Maybe it's worth giving it one more shot, Dave!

10. David held farting contests with John Barrowman on the Doctor Who set. After finding out that Freema Agyeman was less than keen on the practice, they began "saving them up" and waiting until she walked past to "thunder one out". Charming!

I don't know if all that is true, but I know some of it is. The article was at Digital Spy.