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The Tenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the main protagonist of the BBC science fiction television franchise ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...
''. He is played by David Tennant in three series as well as nine specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other ''Doctor Who'' spin-offs. Tennant's time as the Tenth Doctor is highly regarded among fans of the show and is generally regarded as one of the most iconic incarnations of the character, often ranked alongside Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor. Within the series' narrative, the Doctor is a centuries-old
alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
Time Lord The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...
from the planet
Gallifrey Gallifrey () is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It is the original home world of the Time Lords, the civilisation to which the protagonist, the Doctor belongs. It is located in a ...
who travels in time and space in the TARDIS, frequently with companions. At the end of life, the Doctor regenerates; as a result, the physical appearance and personality of the Doctor changes. Tennant's portrayal of the Doctor is of an outwardly charismatic and charming adventurer whose likable and easygoing attitude can quickly turn to righteous fury when provoked. This incarnation's companions include working-class shop assistant Rose Tyler ( Billie Piper), who had travelled with his previous incarnation, medical student
Martha Jones Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series, '' Torchwood''. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor in ''Doctor Who'', afte ...
( Freema Agyeman), and fiery temp worker Donna Noble ( Catherine Tate). He eventually parts ways with them all by the end of the 2008 series finale, " Journey's End", after which he attempts to travel alone for the duration of the 2008–2010 specials before being accompanied by Donna's grandfather Wilfred Mott ( Bernard Cribbins) on his final adventure in " The End of Time". In 2022, Tennant returned to portray the fourteenth incarnation of the Doctor for three specials commemorating the program's 60th anniversary in 2023.


Overview

Executive producer Russell T Davies revived ''Doctor Who'' after a 16-year absence with the premiere of "
Rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
" in 2005. Following the BBC's announcement of a second series being commissioned, the story broke that Christopher Eccleston, who played the titular Ninth Doctor, would not be returning for the second series. On 16 April 2005, the BBC announced that David Tennant had been selected for the role of the Tenth Doctor. His first appearance in the series was for 20 seconds following the Ninth Doctor's regeneration at the end of " The Parting of the Ways". His first full episode as the Doctor, barring an appearance in a " mini-episode" during the 2005 Children in Need show, was the 2005 Christmas Special, " The Christmas Invasion". He then appeared in the
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
, 2007 and 2008 series. Rather than a traditional series run, 2009 and early 2010 featured Tennant in a series of four specials. He also guest-starred in the 2009 two-part '' The Sarah Jane Adventures'' story ''
The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith ''The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith'' is the third serial of the third series the British science fiction television series ''The Sarah Jane Adventures''. The two-part story was first broadcast on BBC One on 29 and 30 October 2009. It guest stars ...
''. Tennant also appears in two animated serials '' The Infinite Quest'' and '' Dreamland''. In 2013, Tennant reprised his role as the Doctor for the 50th anniversary special, "
The Day of the Doctor ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
", and will return to ''Doctor Who'' as the
Fourteenth Doctor The Fourteenth Doctor is the current incarnation of the Doctor, the fictional protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme, ''Doctor Who''. The Fourteenth Doctor is portrayed by Scottish actor, David Tennant, who previously port ...
in 2023 for three 60th anniversary specials.


Personality

The Tenth Doctor speaks with an Estuary English accent, rather than the
Lancashire dialect The Lancashire dialect or (colloquially, Lanky) refers to the Northern English vernacular speech of the English county of Lancashire. The region is notable for its tradition of poetry written in the dialect. Scope of Lancashire dialect La ...
(Christopher Eccleston's own dialect) that the Ninth Doctor used, the
Received Pronunciation Received Pronunciation (RP) is the accent traditionally regarded as the standard and most prestigious form of spoken British English. For over a century, there has been argument over such questions as the definition of RP, whether it is geo ...
of most earlier Doctors, or Tennant's natural
Scottish English Scottish English ( gd, Beurla Albannach) is the set of varieties of the English language spoken in Scotland. The transregional, standardised variety is called Scottish Standard English or Standard Scottish English (SSE). Scottish Standa ...
. David Tennant told '' SFX'' magazine in 2006 that Russell T Davies had asked him to drop his natural Scottish accent, because he felt "we'd like to not go for another obvious regional accent, because I suppose they'd done that". In a 23 December interview on
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance ...
, Tennant explained that a line had been scripted for the Christmas special explaining that the newly regenerated Doctor had imprinted on Rose Tyler's accent "like a chick hatching from an egg", but the line was cut from the final episode. The depictions of the personalities of the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors shared certain similarities e.g. both being youthful, energetic, friendly, childlike, "good boyfriend Doctors", as Steven Moffat described them and, according to
Mark Gatiss Mark Gatiss (; born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist. His work includes writing for and acting in the television series '' Doctor Who'', '' Sherlock'', and '' Dracula''. Together with ...
"very human Doctors" when compared to other incarnations.


Appearance

The Doctor complains that his tenth incarnation is not "
ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of ...
". However, this incarnation was happy to have sideburns and to have more hair than his previous incarnation. He wears his own brown hair in various ways throughout the series (unstyled in " The Christmas Invasion", a 1950s-style quiff in " The Idiot's Lantern", and flattened forwards in " The Runaway Bride" and "
The Day of the Doctor ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
") but mainly styled it in a spiked-up fashion throughout most of the series, with this style being described by friend and later one-time companion Wilfred Mott as being a "modern style sort of hair. All sticky-uppy". He has dark brown eyes and is perceived by most, including companions and other characters such as his future incarnation as "slim and a little bit ''foxy''". His costume was unveiled on 27 July 2005. He generally wears either a dark brown (with blue pinstripes) or a blue (with rust red pinstripes) four-buttoned suit with a shirt and a tie, or a shirt and t-shirt, a light brown faux-suede
duster coat A duster is a light, loose-fitting long coat. The original dusters were full-length, light-colored canvas or linen coats worn by horsemen to protect their clothing from trail dust. These dusters were typically slit up the back to hip level for ea ...
(which he claims was given to him by Janis Joplin), and different coloured pairs of Converse All-Star trainers, depending on his suit. According to an interview on '' Parkinson'', David Tennant and Russell T Davies got the idea for the Tenth Doctor's costume from an outfit
Jamie Oliver James Trevor Oliver MBE OSI (born 27 May 1975) is an English chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. He is known for his casual approach to cuisine, which has led him to front numerous television shows and open many restaurants. Oliver reach ...
had worn on ''Parkinson'' just after Tennant had taken the role. David Tennant has commented that he would vary the combination of the buttons he fastened on his jacket in different episodes. Tennant thought the look was very geek chic. The Doctor dons a pair of dark tortoise-shell rectangular frame glasses, an affectation (along with his signature footwear) borrowed from the Fifth Doctor. On one occasion, he wears a pair of Red-Cyan 3D glasses, both as a joke and for practical reasons. Despite appearing in only one story, the glasses became an accessory commonly associated with Tennant's incarnation of the character. The Tenth Doctor's costume became so popular that it has spawned numerous recreations (including a BBC-licensed replica of the Tenth Doctor's overcoat by AbbyShot Clothiers and a white/red version worn by Tennant when he co-hosted Comic Relief), and has been cited by costume designer Louise Page as the costume she is most proud of from her time on ''Doctor Who''.


Appearances


Television

The Ninth Doctor ( Christopher Eccleston) regenerates into the Tenth Doctor at the climax of the first-series (2005) finale, " The Parting of the Ways"; he then reintroduces himself to his companion Rose Tyler ( Billie Piper) in a ''Children in Need'' mini-episode called "Born Again". In the 2005 Christmas special, " The Christmas Invasion", he is in a comatose state for most of the episode, following his regeneration. After eventually waking up, he defeats the alien
Sycorax Sycorax is an unseen character in William Shakespeare's play '' The Tempest'' (1611). She is a vicious and powerful witch and the mother of Caliban, one of the few native inhabitants of the island on which Prospero, the hero of the play, is ...
and saves Earth; in the process, he loses a hand, which regrows owing to his recent regeneration. Amongst other second-series (2006) adventures, the Doctor and Rose save
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...
( Pauline Collins) from a
werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely ...
in " Tooth and Claw", resulting in the creation of the anti-alien
Torchwood Institute The Torchwood Institute, or simply Torchwood, is a fictional secret organisation from the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series ''Torchwood''. It was established in 1879 by Queen Victoria after the ...
. In " School Reunion", the Doctor shares an adventure with two former companions, journalist
Sarah Jane Smith Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running BBC Television science fiction on television, science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' and two of Doctor Who spin-offs, its spin-offs. Sarah Jane is a dogged in ...
( Elisabeth Sladen) and robot dog K9 (voiced by John Leeson), before taking on Rose's boyfriend Mickey (
Noel Clarke Noel Anthony Clarke (born 6 December 1975) is a British actor, screenwriter, director, and comic book writer. Rising to prominence for playing Mickey Smith in '' Doctor Who'' (2005–2010), he played Sam in the films '' Kidulthood'' (2006), '' ...
) as a second companion. The TARDIS slips through a crack in the Time Vortex causing them to be stranded on a parallel Earth, where they encounter the
Cybermen The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. The Cybermen are a species of space-faring cyborgs who often forcefully and painfully convert human beings ( ...
in the episode, " Rise of the Cybermen". After saving parallel Earth, Mickey decides to stay and help stop the Cybermen around the world despite The Doctor telling him he can never return in " The Age of Steel". He and Rose become stranded on a planet orbiting around a black hole in " The Impossible Planet", where the Beast is waiting, with a Torchwood team. While there, in " The Satan Pit", the Beast taunts the Doctor and Rose about Rose's death. During the 2012 Olympic Games in " Fear Her", The Doctor picks up the Olympic flame and carries it to the end, starting the Games. The series finale takes place in contemporary London, where modern-day Torchwood is the scene for war between the evil alien Daleks and parallel-universe cyborgs the Cybermen; saving the Earth costs the Doctor Rose, who is stranded in a parallel universe, along with Mickey and her mother, in " Doomsday". In the closing scene of "Doomsday", a mysterious bride called Donna Noble ( Catherine Tate) inexplicably appears in his TARDIS. The 2006 Christmas special, " The Runaway Bride" sees The Doctor and bride-to-be Donna save the Earth; Donna saves The Doctor from going too far in his revenge against the alien Racnoss, and although she declines his offer of companionship, she tells The Doctor he may need a new companion to keep him in check. In the third series (2007), The Doctor takes on
Martha Jones Martha Jones is a fictional character played by Freema Agyeman in the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series, '' Torchwood''. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor in ''Doctor Who'', afte ...
( Freema Agyeman) as his new companion. Together, they witness the mysterious Face of Boe ( Struan Rodger) prophecy to The Doctor that "you are not alone", in "
Gridlock Gridlock is a form of traffic congestion where "continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill". The term originates from a situation possible in a grid ...
". They are rejoined by former companion
Captain Jack Harkness Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series, ''Torchwood''. The character first appears in the 2005 ''Doctor Who'' episode "The Empty Child" and subsequently features in the ...
( John Barrowman) in a three-episode adventure beginning with "
Utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book '' Utopia'', describing a fictional island soc ...
", where presumed-deceased archenemy and fellow Time Lord The Master ( John Simm) becomes
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern p ...
and enslaves The Doctor for one year. Martha's plan sees The Doctor infused with the world's psychic energies, and he easily defeats The Master, who seemingly refuses to regenerate and dies in The Doctor's arms. Following this adventure, in the dénouement of series finale "
Last of the Time Lords "Last of the Time Lords" is the thirteenth and final episode of the third series of the revived British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 30 June 2007. It is the last of three episodes that form a ...
", Jack and Martha both depart the TARDIS, and The Doctor is shocked to see what appears to be the RMS ''Titanic'' crash into it. Set moments prior, another '' Children in Need'' mini-episode, " Time Crash", features a brief encounter between Tennant's Tenth Doctor and the Fifth Doctor ( Peter Davison), containing meta-humour surrounding the fact David Tennant had watched and loved Davison's Doctor as a child. In parallel with the third series, Tennant lends his voice to the animated serial '' The Infinite Quest.'' The 2007 Christmas special, " Voyage of the Damned", sees The Doctor and a waitress, Astrid Peth (
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
), save the Earth from the impending crash of the starship ''Titanic''; Astrid dies heroically, and The Doctor encounters Wilfred Mott ( Bernard Cribbins) for the first time. In the premiere episode of the fourth series (2008), " Partners in Crime", The Doctor is reunited with Donna Noble, Wilfred's granddaughter, who becomes his regular companion. In "
Planet of the Ood "Planet of the Ood" is the third episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was broadcast on BBC One on 19 April 2008. The episode takes place in the year 4126 on the Ood-Sphere, the titular pl ...
", the alien
Ood The Ood are an alien species with telepathic abilities from the long-running science fiction series ''Doctor Who''. In the series' narrative, they live in the distant future (circa 42nd century). The Ood are portrayed as a slave race, natural ...
prophesy the Tenth Doctor's demise. Martha accompanies them for three episodes; in two, entitled "
The Sontaran Stratagem "The Sontaran Stratagem" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as The Doctor. The episode was broadcas ...
" and " The Poison Sky", The Doctor battles the war-hungry alien Sontarans, and last of which sees him become a father of sorts to
Jenny Jenny may refer to: * Jenny (given name), a popular feminine name and list of real and fictional people * Jenny (surname), a family name Animals * Jenny (donkey), a female donkey * Jenny (gorilla), the oldest gorilla in captivity at the time of h ...
( Georgia Tennant), in " The Doctor's Daughter". He meets archaeologist and future companion River Song ( Alex Kingston) for the first time from his perspective in the two-parter, "
Silence in the Library "Silence in the Library" is the eighth episode of the fourth series of the revived British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 31 May 2008. It is the first of a two-part story; the second part, ...
" and " Forest of the Dead"; she dies, but he stores her consciousness to a hard drive to live on forever, after accepting that one day she will come to mean a lot to him. After Donna encounters Rose in a parallel world in " Turn Left", the Doctor realises that Rose's words to Donna — "Bad Wolf" — must herald the end of the world. In finale episodes " The Stolen Earth" and " Journey's End" (which cross over with spin-offs '' Torchwood'' and '' The Sarah Jane Adventures''), the Doctor and Donna reunite with former companions Rose, Sarah Jane, Martha, Jack, and Mickey to save the universe from Davros ( Julian Bleach), the creator of the Daleks. The Doctor was fatally wounded during the event, aborting in mid-regeneration to maintain his current self while transferring the residual energies in his previously severed hand. This results in a metacrisis that creates a half-human Doctor who would live with Rose in the parallel universe while imbuing Donna with a Time Lord's mind, forcing the Doctor to erase his companion's memories to save her life and leave her with her family. A '' Doctor Who Prom'' mini-episode, " Music of the Spheres", features a lone Doctor composing his musical ''Ode to the Universe'' before being interrupted by the small alien Graske ( Jimmy Vee). In lieu of a 2009 series, Tennant appears as the Tenth Doctor, without a regular companion, in several special episodes over the course of 2008 and 2009, the last of which aired on New Year's Day, 2010. In the Christmas special "
The Next Doctor "The Next Doctor" is the first of the 2008–2010 specials of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who'' that was broadcast on 25 December 2008, as the fourth ''Doctor Who'' Christmas special of the revived series. During ...
", The Doctor mistakenly believes he has met a later incarnation of himself in an amnesiac Londoner ( David Morrissey), with whom he saves Victorian-era London. " Planet of the Dead" (Easter 2009) features jewel thief Lady Christina de Souza (
Michelle Ryan Michelle Claire Ryan (born 22 April 1984) is an English actress. She played Zoe Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2000–2005). In 2007, she starred in the short-lived American television series ''Bionic Woman''. She appeared as the ...
) as The Doctor's one-off companion, and The Doctor is presented with a prophecy of his imminent death, with a woman telling him 'he will knock four times'. Tennant makes a crossover appearance in a ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' two-parter, "
The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith ''The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith'' is the third serial of the third series the British science fiction television series ''The Sarah Jane Adventures''. The two-part story was first broadcast on BBC One on 29 and 30 October 2009. It guest stars ...
", in which a powerful being known as The Trickster ( Paul Marc Davis) also alludes to the Tenth Doctor's impending demise. In " The Waters of Mars", The Doctor tries to alter history and avert the death of one-off companion Adelaide Brooke ( Lindsay Duncan); when she commits suicide, he begins to feel his mortality weigh down upon him. In the animated serial '' Dreamland'', The Doctor is joined by two one-off companions in 1950s Roswell, New Mexico. In the two-part send-off " The End of Time", The Doctor confronts the Ood about their original prophecy and is led to contemporary Earth where, in the second part, the again-resurrected Master restores Gallifrey and the Time Lords to existence, although he redeems himself by assisting The Doctor to defeat Time Lord President Rassilon ( Timothy Dalton) before disappearing alongside the other Time Lords. However, Wilfred finds himself trapped in a chamber that is about to be flooded with radiation. He knocks on the glass door four times, fulfilling the prophecy of the Doctor's death. The Doctor sacrifices his life to prevent Wilfred's death, exposing himself to 500,000
rads RAD or Rad may refer to: People * Robert Anthony Rad Dougall (born 1951), South African former racing driver * Rad Hourani, Canadian fashion designer and artist * Nickname of Leonardus Rad Kortenhorst (1886–1963), Dutch politician * Radley ...
of deadly radiation and triggering his regeneration. He holds it back and is shown visiting several companions. He gives Donna a winning lottery ticket on her wedding day, buying it with money he borrowed from her late father in the past, saves Martha and Mickey from a Sontaran sniper, saves Sarah Jane's son Luke ( Tommy Knight) from a car, introduces Jack to a romantic interest ( Russell Tovey), and finally, just before regenerating into the
Eleventh Doctor The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC Science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as fi ...
(
Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC series '' Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Daemon Targaryen in the HBO series ''House of the Dr ...
), informs Rose in 2005 that she is about to have a "great year". As he begins regenerating once in the TARDIS, his last words are "I don't want to go". Tennant reprised the role for the show's 50th anniversary in "
The Day of the Doctor ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
" (2013), appearing alongside his future incarnation the
Eleventh Doctor The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC Science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as fi ...
(
Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC series '' Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Daemon Targaryen in the HBO series ''House of the Dr ...
), future companion Clara Oswald ( Jenna Coleman) and a forgotten past incarnation, the
War Doctor The War Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He was portrayed by the English actor John Hurt. Although he precedes Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor in the ...
, played by John Hurt. In the special, which from the Tenth Doctor's perspective takes place between the 2008–2010 specials " The Waters of Mars" and " The End of Time", the Doctor unintentionally marries
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...
( Joanna Page) while luring out a
Zygon The Zygons are an extraterrestrial race in the long-running British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. The Zygons have shape-shifting abilities, allowing them to replicate the appearance of another being. Limited by the sma ...
. He helps the other Doctors in saving Gallifrey at the Time War's conclusion, but will not retain memories of the event. His final words are, once again "I don't want to go" after being told that he will die on Trenzalore. At the conclusion of the 2022 specials, the Thirteenth Doctor regenerates into the
Fourteenth Doctor The Fourteenth Doctor is the current incarnation of the Doctor, the fictional protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme, ''Doctor Who''. The Fourteenth Doctor is portrayed by Scottish actor, David Tennant, who previously port ...
, who bears the same form as the Tenth Doctor. Tennant will play the Fourteenth Doctor for the show’s 60th anniversary alongside Catherine Tate as Donna Noble.


Spoofs

David Tennant has also made numerous cameo appearances as The Doctor outside of ''Doctor Who'', frequently in spoof appearances. Singer and actress
Charlotte Church Charlotte Maria Church (born Charlotte Maria Reed, 21 February 1986) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, actress, television presenter and political activist from Cardiff. Church rose to fame in childhood as a classical singer before branching ...
spoofs ''Doctor Who'' alongside an actor playing the Tenth Doctor in her own ''
The Charlotte Church Show ''The Charlotte Church Show'' is a Channel 4 entertainment television show presented by Welsh singer Charlotte Church. It was first broadcast on 1 September 2006 and ran for six subsequent Fridays. The show was commissioned for a further two seri ...
'' (2006). In an appearance on ''
The Friday Night Project ''The Sunday Night Project'' is a British comedy-variety show by Princess Productions that first aired on Channel 4 in February 2005 under the title ''The Friday Night Project''. Originally broadcast on Friday nights, the show moved to Sunday n ...
'' in 2007, Tennant plays a female companion to the Tenth Doctor (
Justin Lee Collins Justin Lee Collins (born 28 July 1974) is an actor and former radio and television presenter from Bristol, England. Collins began his career as a stand up comedian in the 1990s when he was in his late teens. He then presented a number of TV s ...
) on the Pink Planet, where they are confronted by the alien Gay Lord ( Alan Carr). When the show became ''The Sunday Night Project'', Catherine Tate appeared in a
skit Skit may refer to: * * A short segment in a performance, such as: ** Sketch comedy ** Hip hop skit ** Puppet skit ** Promo (professional wrestling) Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. ...
playing the Tenth Doctor. Tennant starred opposite Catherine Tate in her own '' The Catherine Tate Show'' special (2007) as
Lauren Cooper Dame Lauren Chantelle Bluebelle Gazelle Roselle Alesha Masheka Funeshka Tanesha Felicia Jane Harry Kane Liam Payne Cooper is a fictional character in ''The Catherine Tate Show''. Lauren is one of the show's main characters and is portrayed by Cat ...
's (Tate) teacher Mr. Logan, whom Cooper teases for his resemblance to the Doctor; eventually, he reveals himself to be the Tenth Doctor and shrinks Cooper into a 5" Rose Tyler
action figure An action figure is a poseable character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game or television program; fictional or historical. These figures are usually mar ...
. In the final episode of '' Extras'' (December 2007), a brief scene shows The Doctor and an unidentified Wren companion attacked by Schlong, a slug-like alien played by
Andy Millman The British television sitcom '' Extras'' centres on the main characters of Andy Millman, Maggie Jacobs and Darren Lamb, in addition to several more recurring characters. Main characters Andy Millman Portrayed by Ricky Gervais, Andrew "Andy" M ...
(
Ricky Gervais Ricky Dene Gervais ( ; born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, and director. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms ''The Office'' (2001–2003), '' Extras'' (2005–2007), and ''An Idiot Abroad'' ...
). The Tenth Doctor is also featured in political satire; in a 2007 episode of '' Dead Ringers'', when faced by the question of
Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Tony ...
's succession,
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of t ...
(impressionist
Jon Culshaw Jonathan Peter Culshaw (born 2 June 1968) is an English actor, comedian and impressionist. He is best known for his work on the radio comedy '' Dead Ringers'' since 2000. Culshaw has voiced a number of characters for ITV shows including ''2D ...
) regenerates into David Tennant after promising " New Labour is all about renewal", later vowing 100 more years of power. Tennant modifies his first line in "The Parting of the Ways" ("New teeth, that's weird"), to "New Labour, that's weird" and proceeds to address the public in a Tony Blair impression resembling Culshaw's. Tennant also guest-voiced his incarnation of The Doctor in an episode of '' Family Guy'' (2016). He later played the role in full costume for a sketch with The Muppets in a live performance at
The O2 Arena The O2 Arena, commonly known as the O2 (stylised as The O2 arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of the O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the ...
in 2018.


Literature

As the face of the ''Doctor Who'' franchise for 2005–2010, the Tenth Doctor appears extensively in ''Doctor Who'' spin-off media; in the majority of these series, the character simply takes after the place of the Ninth Doctor, and in turn is replaced by the Eleventh following the debut of the 2010 series. Novels featuring the Tenth Doctor are all published by BBC Books. The character appears in
New Series Adventures The ''New Series Adventures'' are a series of novels relating to the long-running BBC science fiction television series, ''Doctor Who''. The 'NSAs', as they are often referred to, are published by BBC Books, and are regularly published twice a y ...
novels spanning from '' The Stone Rose'' (April 2006) to ''
The Krillitane Storm ''The Krillitane Storm'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Christopher Cooper and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Tenth Doctor without an official companion. It was relea ...
'' (September 2009). A number ''Decide Your Destiny'' novels were published between July 2007 and March 2008, as well as five books published as a part of Quick Reads Initiative, a government-sponsored adult literacy project. BBC Children's Books released their own 10-part series, ''The Darksmith Legacy'', supported by an interactive tie-in website. Additionally, short stories are frequently published in ''
Doctor Who Magazine ''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the follo ...
'', ''The Doctor Who Storybook'' series (2007–2010 editions), the BBC website, and annuals and suchlike; one example is the story "The Lodger" by Gareth Roberts, later adapted into an Eleventh Doctor television episode of the same name. National newspapers ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'' and ''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
'' have each published one Christmas-themed Tenth Doctor short story. Additionally, the Tenth Doctor appears in a novelisation of his ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' crossover appearance. The Tenth Doctor also appears extensively in comic books, replacing the Ninth Doctor in those published in ''Doctor Who Magazine'', and the younger-audience '' Doctor Who Adventures'' and '' Doctor Who: Battles in Time''. American comic book publisher initially published a 2008 Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones miniseries between January and June 2006. This was later followed by a truly ongoing Tenth Doctor series in July 2009, set during the 2008–2010 specials and lasting sixteen issues before relaunching with the Eleventh Doctor. In stories set after "Journey's End", The Doctor is accompanied by numerous one-off and recurring companions who do not feature in the television series. Outside of ''Doctor Who'' literature, penciller Georges Jeanty includes a cameo of the Tenth Doctor and Rose in a panel of '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight'' story arc " No Future for You". The Tenth Doctor was utilised in the American
satirical Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming or ...
political cartoon strip, ''
This Modern World ''This Modern World'' is a weekly satirical comic strip by cartoonist and political commentator Tom Tomorrow (real name Dan Perkins) that covers current events from a left-wing point of view. Published continuously for more than 30 years, ''This ...
''. Arriving in 2003, the Doctor hints to Sparky the Wonder Penguin (the strip's main character) that in five years' time, the next
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
could be a black man, with the middle name Hussein, whose father was a Muslim. The character also appeared in a story arc of the webcomic '' PvP'', in which character Brent Sienna hallucinates materialising in the TARDIS.


Audio drama

As is the case with the BBC Books novels, the Tenth Doctor replaced the Ninth as the face of the ''Doctor Who'' audiobook series, beginning with '' Pest Control'' in May 2008 and ending with '' Dead Air'' in March 2010. The majority are read by David Tennant, save one read by Michelle Ryan and two by Catherine Tate. A number of Tenth Doctor novels were also abridged to become audiobooks, again featuring David Tennant's voice alongside other cast members such as Freema Agyeman and television series guest stars such as Georgia Tennant, Reggie Yates and Anthony Head; the last of these scheduled is ''
Judgement of the Judoon ''Judgement of the Judoon'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Colin Brake and based on the long-running British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features the Tenth Doctor without an official companion. It was released ...
'', for December 2010. On 26 October 2015, it was announced Tennant would reprise his role for '' The Tenth Doctor Adventures'', a series of full-cast audio stories produced by
Big Finish Productions Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on cult science fiction properties. These include '' Doctor Who'', th ...
. The first volume of stories had the reprise of Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, consisting of ''Technophobia'', ''Time Reaver'', and ''Death and the Queen'', which were released in May 2016. The second volume of stories saw Billie Piper reprise her role as Rose Tyler alongside Tennant. The stories consisted of ''Infamy of the Zaross'' (with Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler), ''Sword of the Chevalier'', and ''Cold Vengeance'', which were released in November 2017. A third volume was released in May 2019, once again with Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, in the stories ''No Place'' (with as Jacqueline King as Sylvia Noble and Bernard Cribbins as Wilfred Mott), ''One Mile Down'' and ''The Creeping Death''. Outside of '' The Tenth Doctor Adventures'', David Tennant has appeared as the Doctor for several special Big Finish releases. He made brief cameos at the end of the '' Jenny - The Doctor's Daughter'' series and the final story of Big Finish's multi-Doctor anniversary special ''The Legacy of Time''. The Tenth Doctor made a significant appearance in the final story of the '' Donna Noble: Kidnapped!'' spin-off series starring Catherine Tate as Donna Noble. In 2020, Tennant appeared alongside Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor in the first story of the '' Out of Time'' trilogy and co-starred in three audio plays opposite Alex Kingston as River Song in '' The Tenth Doctor and River Song''. Tennant also made an uncredited cameo in series eight of '' The Diary of River Song'' as the Doctor. In 2021, as well as starring in the nine-part '' Dalek Universe'' saga (which sees the Tenth Doctor trapped in the pre-Time War universe and separated from the TARDIS), Tennant reprised the Tenth Doctor for the second part of the '' Out of Time'' trilogy, fighting
Cybermen The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. The Cybermen are a species of space-faring cyborgs who often forcefully and painfully convert human beings ( ...
with the Fifth Doctor ( Peter Davison) in ''The Gates of Hell''. As part of the multi-platform '' Time Lord Victorious'' storyline, Tennant co-starred in ''Echoes of Extinction'' alongside Paul McGann as the
Eighth Doctor The Eighth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Paul McGann. The character was introduced in the 1996 TV film '' Doctor Who'', a back-door ...
. He was set to be the first Doctor to appear in the spin-off series '' Torchwood'', reuniting Tennant with John Barrowman as
Captain Jack Harkness Captain Jack Harkness is a fictional character played by John Barrowman in ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off series, ''Torchwood''. The character first appears in the 2005 ''Doctor Who'' episode "The Empty Child" and subsequently features in the ...
and Gareth David-Lloyd as
Ianto Jones Ianto Jones is a fictional character in the BBC television programme ''Torchwood'', a spin-off from the long-running series ''Doctor Who'', played by Welsh actor Gareth David-Lloyd. A regular within the show, Ianto appears in every episode of ...
, for '' Absent Friends''. However, while this story was recorded, its release was cancelled in May 2021. The '' Out of Time'' trilogy concluded in June 2022 with ''Wink'', featuring the Tenth Doctor and the Sixth Doctor battling Weeping Angels. In the same month, Tennant appeared as the Doctor in the seventh series of '' The War Master'' opposite
Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as '' Hamlet'', '' Much Ado About Nothing'', '' Macbeth'', '' Twelfth Night'', '' The Tempest'', ' ...
as The Master. In September 2022, Big Finish released the ''Tenth Doctor, Classic Companions'' special, which reunites the Doctor with K9, Ace, Leela and Nyssa; he retrieves K9 from a temporal anomaly, helps an alternate version of Leela save a village, rescues Nyssa from a criminal using Time Lord technology as part of a scam, and subsequently leaves K9 with Ace after they stop Axos (" The Claws of Axos") from escaping its time loop prison. The Tenth Doctor has made other Big Finish appearances that did not involve Tennant, using other actors to voice the Doctor. In April 2018, '' The Tenth Doctor Chronicles'' featured four new stories and starred voice actor
Jacob Dudman Jacob Stanley Dudman (born 22 August 1997) is an English actor, writer and filmmaker. He is known for his roles in Netflix programs '' The Stranger'' (2020), ''Medici'' (2019), '' Fate: The Winx Saga'' (2021-2022) and the BBC iPlayer series '' T ...
as the Doctor and narrator; Jacqueline King and
Michelle Ryan Michelle Claire Ryan (born 22 April 1984) is an English actress. She played Zoe Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2000–2005). In 2007, she starred in the short-lived American television series ''Bionic Woman''. She appeared as the ...
reprised their roles as Sylvia Noble and Lady Christina de Souza respectively. '' The Churchill Years'' featured stories of the show's portrayal of
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...
- played by Ian McNeice narrating in-character - meeting various incarnations of the Doctor, including the Tenth Doctor in the episodes ''Hounded'' and ''Churchill Victorious''. Likewise, the Tenth Doctor appears in three episodes of '' Tales from New Earth'' voiced by
Kieran Hodgson Kieran Hodgson is a British character comedian, actor, and writer. He is best known for his role as Gordon in Two Doors Down. Early life and education Kieran Hodgson was raised in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire and educated at Holmfirth High Schoo ...
. In the Short Trips range, the Tenth Doctor appeared in the two-part story ''The Jago and Litefoot Revival'' alongside the
Eleventh Doctor The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC Science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as fi ...
, narrated by Christopher Benjamin and
Trevor Baxter Trevor Baxter (18 November 1932 – 16 July 2017) was a British actor and playwright. He was educated at Dulwich College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Early years A postal worker's son, Baxter was born in Lewisham, London, England, and ...
.
Camille Coduri Camille Coduri (born 18 April 1965) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Jackie Tyler, the mother of Rose Tyler, in ''Doctor Who'', and also for her roles as Faith in '' Nuns on the Run'', Miranda in ''King Ralph'', and Dot Clapt ...
reprised her role as
Jackie Tyler Jackie Tyler is a fictional character played by Camille Coduri in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. The character, a resident of contemporary London, is introduced in the first episode of the 2005 revival as the mot ...
to narrate a pair of stories featuring the Tenth Doctor's meta-crisis clone in ''The Siege of Big Ben'' and ''Flight into Hull'' set on the parallel Earth.


Video games

The Tenth Doctor appears alongside his fellow incarnations as a playable character in the 2015 toys-to-life crossover game LEGO Dimensions. He is shown wearing his duster coat and brown pinstripe suit. The character uses voice lines taken from the BBC archives. His TARDIS interior is a location that players can explore. He, as well as the Thirteenth Doctor, appears as a playable character that users could purchase for free from the Avatar Shop within Roblox for a limited time, which also featured the Pting as a shoulder accessory, and the TARDIS in the form of a backpack. These items were added as part of a sponsorship between the Roblox Corporation and the BBC to promote the series finale of
Series 12 Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used in ...
.


Reception

The Tenth Doctor has been extremely popular amongst the ''Doctor Who'' fandom. He received critical acclaim for his complexity and humanity and is considered one of the greatest incarnations of the character. The BBC went as far as to consider ending the show in 2010, thinking it would fail without Tennant. In 2006, readers of ''
Doctor Who Magazine ''Doctor Who Magazine'' (abbreviated as ''DWM'') is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. Launched in 1979 as ''Doctor Who Weekly'', the magazine became a monthly publication the follo ...
'' voted Tennant's Doctor "Best Doctor" over perennial favourite Tom Baker. He also won the National Television Awards award for Most Popular Actor in 2006 and 2007, and the award for Outstanding Drama Performance in 2008 and 2010. In a poll conducted by '' Radio Times'' in March 2007, Tennant's Doctor was named the "coolest character on television". IGN ranked the Tenth Doctor the best Doctor in 2011. In 2013, IGN again ranked Tennant as the best Doctor, along with the ''Daily Mirror'' and ''Radio Times'', with Billie Piper also being voted as best companion. Users of Plusnet also voted David Tennant as the best Doctor in 2013. Users of DoctorWhoTV also voted Tennant as 'Ultimate Doctor' in 2013. Voters on '' Digital Spy'' also rated Tennant as the greatest Doctor in 2013 with 50.05% of the votes, and again in 2015. Readers of ''
The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' voted Tennant as the greatest actor to play the Doctor in 2014. Jenna Coleman, who played Clara Oswald and appeared with Tennant in "The Day of the Doctor", said that he was her favourite Doctor, along with Tom Baker. Writer Terry Pratchett considered Tennant's portrayal to be the greatest Doctor. In 2016, ''Digital Spy'' readers voted the Tenth Doctor the best TV character of the 21st century.


Notes

# A serial of '' The Sarah Jane Adventures'' starring the
Eleventh Doctor The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC Science fiction on television, science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as fi ...
called '' Death of the Doctor'' clarifies that the Doctor, in fact, made visits to every former companion.


References


External links

* . * . {{Tenth Doctor stories 10 Fictional extraterrestrial characters Male characters in television The Sarah Jane Adventures characters Television characters introduced in 2005 Crossover characters in television