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Doctor Who's David Tennant gets emotional about his coming departure
David Tennant, who is wrapping up his tenure as the 10th Doctor in Doctor Who, told the BBC that he got emotional while reading his final moments in the show.
The Scottish actor has six weeks left of filming, and with the first of four Doctor Who specials airing on BBC One on Easter Saturday, he'll soon hand over the TARDIS to Doctor number 11, Matt Smith, the BBC reported.
The Easter special, "Planet of the Dead," features Michelle Ryan (late of NBC's Bionic Woman) "in a catsuit stealing something important," Tennant told the BBC. "Then she tries to escape on a red bus, a London red bus. But London transport being what it is, it slips through a wormhole in time and space and ends up on a planet on the other side of the universe."
Tennant added: "There's a tiny little hint at the very end that it's all about to get a lot darker. Because obviously at the end of the year, it's the end of the line for the 10th doctor. This is kind of a romp. This is the last time the Doctor gets to have fun, in a way."
When Tennant read the scripts for his upcoming final episodes, he told the BBC: "I might have had a little cry. They were brilliant scripts and very moving. It was quite a big deal, really. I sort of turned the phone off and made sure I could read it straight through without too much interruption."
Click through to read more of Tennant's Q&A with the BBC. "Planet of the Dead" airs on BBC One on Saturday at 6.45 p.m. local time.
By KaiUno at 1:50 PM ON 04/09/09
*sniff*
I miss his energetic traipsing across the stars already. This guy just oozed charm and wit.
Allons'y! Bring on his final moments!
By theKRELL at 2:13 PM ON 04/09/09
So sad, too bad, sorry to see him go!
One of my favorite Doctors. Good Luck?
What will happen to Freema?
By EMA96 at 2:36 PM ON 04/09/09
When is SCIFI in the US suppose to air Planet of the dead?
By hmolsen at 2:48 PM ON 04/09/09
It's really too bad that David Tennant is leaving the show. He's the best Doctor ever. I was not a fan of the original series and only watched it occasionally. Of the original series, Tom Baker was my favorite Doctor. When the new series came along I checked it out and wasn't really impressed with Christopher Eccleston at first. I actually got into him in the reruns. But Tennant caught my attention right from the beginning. I was hoping he'd go on until the series ended for good. The new guy, Matt Smith (he's an unknown to me), is really going to have some big shoes to fill.
By KaiUno at 3:30 PM ON 04/09/09
"What will happen to Freema?"
Isn't she heading to Torchwood on a more permanent basis? I wonder why you ask though, she hasn't been a permanent on Dr. Who for a while.
By Gumbercules at 3:41 PM ON 04/09/09
Bad: Tennant is leaving. Good: His departure means they can get back to making episodes of the show. This long break is killing me.
By SpacecatX at 3:42 PM ON 04/09/09
"When is SCIFI in the US suppose to air Planet of the dead?"
I don't know I'm still waiting on them to air The Next Doctor.
By axcel1 at 4:26 PM ON 04/09/09
"What will happen to Freema?" Guys, she's not going to be in the Torchwood 5 part miniseries airing this summer, she's one of the stars of Law And Order UK that's airing right now.
By suprememango at 4:41 PM ON 04/09/09
I will so miss Tennant. He was so great. I would LOVE to know when the specials will be airing in the US. Must-have-Dr-who-fix-quick
By madmax at 6:28 PM ON 04/09/09
It seemed like Martha and Mickey were going to both going to be on Torchwood at the end of season 4. I read somewhere that (I can't remember where) their growing careers got in the way. It's bad. I love Martha.
By Twin Nine of the Twelve Realms at 2:40 AM ON 04/10/09
Well, I still can't get over Tom Baker leaving. After him, they started falling like dominoes, because no one until Paul McGann could match his performance (BTW, Tom admits leaving when he did). Now, we have another comparable actor to Tom who is ready to leave, and we are all in tears about it. Matt Smith is young like Peter Davison was, and many of us are scared that history will repeat itself where a younger actor finds it hard to replace a long staying seasoned veteran. As many of us know, Peter Davison didn't shine until his third and final season. Maybe Matt Smith will not take so long. I'll admit that I like the clips I have seen of him, but his age may work against him in the end. Hopefully his talent will evolve before quicker than it did with Davision. Tennant's skill didn't become apparent until the end of his first season. Matt Smith may also have a similar challenge ahead. I am scared, but not that scared. At least we are getting an actor that has ties to Billie Piper. Either way, we should be in for a treat.
By Bobanort at 6:11 AM ON 04/10/09
I grew up watching the old series. I really liked Christopher Eccleston's Doctor (got tired of the zany clothes), but Tennant made the new series. I hope the writing gets better, though. The episode with the Master (the one where he gets shot) was badly written, and I'm pretty sure I could hear Roger Delgado rolling in his grave when I saw that episode. The stolen earth episode wasn't that great (but the Davros was AWESOME) as all it id was reunite all the old cast to say goodbye. Using all the phones to amplify the signal to call the Doctor? They would have clogged the telecommunications grid.
All that being said . . . I can't wait for the next episode, but I just hope the writing gets a little better. I'm curious if the new Doctor is the one that gives his screwdriver away . .
By Thomas at 9:30 AM ON 04/10/09
Sadly, it's times like these when people turn to Bittorrent. Already seen "The Next Doctor", and I'm willing to bet I'll be able to obtain "Planet of the Dead" by noon Eastern, Easter Sunday. Think I'm going to wait for Sci-fi to get 'round to it, and then butcher the print with ad breaks?
By sparrrownightmare at 11:57 AM ON 04/10/09
It's a shame that Tennant won't be around, but I guess he's gotten a bit tired of the role by now. I thinnk he was my favorite Doctor, right next to Tom Baker and John Pertwee. He added a certain something to the role which all of the other Doctors lacked. I think the new guy is going to have a lot of trouble filling his shoes. Hey here's an idea. After Doctor #12, when the Doctor ends his final regeneration, have Jen come and take over the Tardis and start all over with a female Doctor. That would be sooooo cool.
By Melgaye at 2:50 PM ON 04/10/09
I loved Tennant's Doctor. My first like many is their first Doctor. I actually saw 2 epis with Baker but I my fav will be Peter Davidson. They each have their own magic they bring to the role. Colin Bakker, S. McCoy and McGann and Chris E. did bring something to this wonderful character. I hope the new Doctor can live up to the past. I think he will. I'm looking forward to it. Hurray up!!
By DJ Jarak at 3:01 PM ON 04/10/09
David was the best Doctor to date. I'm sure we'll like the next one but he seems rather young. I'm still waiting to find out when the first of the specials will be aired on BBC America, being located in the US and all. I hope I don't have to wait too long. Being an American shouldn't be all that stand in my way of being treated like the UK Doctor Who fans. I feel so left out. Those in the UK get Doctor Who access we never did and it makes me mad.
By 8:30 PM ON 4/10/09 at 9:38 PM ON 04/10/09
Why is David Tennant leaving Doctor Who? Him playing in the series is what got me interested. I have not watched very far but I am distraught by seeing him leave.
By grandmablood at 12:33 AM ON 04/12/09
Say it ain't so. He was the sexiest doctor who of all. And added so much charm and wit to the character. For me he was Dr. Who. This also kind of screws with the timelines because he hadn't met the woman from the library episode yet.
By scifi-ED at 2:41 AM ON 04/15/09
@grandmablood- it is possible that the woman from the library is aware of his regeneration and recognized him as being the doctor, from the sonic screwdriver, or just from how he carried himself.
If I remember correctly, she did say that he wasn't her doctor.
As for Tennant, he's definitely my favorite doctor. His rudeness is his best character trait, for me. Especially when he met the Queen during the wolf episode.
Sad to see him go.
By Ripper at 12:37 PM ON 04/19/09
Freema left torchwood - Bitter pill for the directors not impressed with actress.
New Tardis interior being built as we speak, for those keen individuals you will notice one of the tardis beams now has a support around it. Thats because it snapped in its mvoe to the new Doctor who studios in Wales.
By ceeutennat at 4:59 PM ON 05/17/09
In the US..you can watch the Planet of the Dead on youtube. i watched the whole thing in parts(Part1-6) youtube only lets youdwload 10 minutes at a time so they are split up into parts. I loved it. The master is coming back
By DavidTennant I LOVE YOU! at 8:40 PM ON 06/15/09
*sniffles* david tennies! why does he halft to leave so young! * is crying* why! whyyyy! i love that poofy haired man. david why!
By DavidTennant I LOVE YOU! at 8:50 PM ON 06/15/09
and ppl i can do the british voice. david plz don't leave ok it was like love at first site and im only 9! plz david i don't like the 11th doctor. :*(. and what about rose is she leaving to?! she is a great singer but great on doctor who! i love you guys and i can't stand for you to leave if you do i will be broken to peaces and i live is Kansas to you would like it here plz visit lawrence. i have a friend that like doctor who to and he wants to see you two. so it would be great! plz david tennies!
By DavidTennant I LOVE YOU at 9:48 PM ON 06/15/09
i know you have heard this is galifray well here is a good veshon of it this is the web site
youtube.com
then look up doctor who his name is the doctor
then look up doctor who his name is 'the doctor
By osk at 4:58 PM ON 01/03/10
@scifi-ED, but she did say that he hadn't aged, and i agree he was definalty the best dr
By averyms at 1:11 PM ON 01/11/10
The thing that I'm happy about that we learned in the series four finale, "Journey's End", the Doctor used his severed hand as a store for unused energy from his aborted regeneration process. He was able to stay himself. Perhaps this can be used once again for him to change from Matt Smith back to the David Tennant we all know and love. Nothing is forever after all. Just a wish of mine. I would love to see David Tennant in Season 6 as the 12th doctor. Wouldn't that be a surprise.
By averyms at 1:18 PM ON 01/11/10
Also if you have access to netflix.com you can view all the episods instantly on your computer up to, of course, season 5 which won't be released until spring. The saddest part of the end of season 4 was when he was about to regenerate and he said, "I don't want to leave". Not exact quote mind you because I can never watch that episode again without deep sobs.
Visit mobile.syfy.com/wire on your mobile device.
averyms:
Also if you have access to netflix.com you can view all the episods instantly on your computer up to, of course, se...More »