Tennant TV: Is There Too Much David On The Box?

[Si Hunt]

A Conservative MP has accused BBC executives of promoting David Tennant at the expense of other actors.

Tory politician Nigel Evans made his comments after research showed that Tennant will have made 75 appearances in three weeks on BBC television and radio stations by the end of the festive period.

It is understood that 28 of the Doctor Who star's appearances are in new programmes, while 47 are repeats.

Evans, who sits on the Culture Media and Sport select committee, told The Daily Telegraph: "Relying on such an overkill of one particular person is freezing out a lot of opportunity for a lot of up and coming people.

"Even the most dedicated fan might have thought that the BBC was turning into the David Tennant Corporation. I know thanks to digital TV we have 200 channels, but 200 channels of David Tennant doesn't seem to be much choice."

A BBC spokesperson insisted: "These appearances were spread over several weeks and channels. We would not expect any one audience to see more than a handful."

As well as being seen in Doctor Who, Tennant has appeared in Catherine Tate: Nan's Christmas Carol, guested on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs and read stories for a children's show in recent days.

Never mind the Master being everywhere, are we oversaturated by our Doctor? Is there too much Tennant on TV?

Si.

[SiHart]

If Tory MPs have so much time on their hands they can tot up the total appearances of David Tennant on TV over Christmas, then what kind of Government are they going to form?

Sorry but this is just another Tory attack on the BBC, which they desperately want to destroy.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

What a complete bit of nonsense. Particularly the bit about 47 repeats - how many (or rather, how few) of those are actually on the BBC? You might as well complain that, for example, Huw Edwards is getting too many news bulletins (what, EVERY day?!) at the expense of other younger 'people who can read' coming through.

Plus, without wishing to blow Doctor Who's trumpet, and obviously there are some people who don't watch it (apparently) but... I think if this MP is trying to somehow catch a few votes, then he has seriously misjudged 'the mood of the country' - if it was somebody unpopular, yes, but I really don't think Tennant is.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Surely it's a bit late to be complaining about this, given that he's bowing out of the Doctor Who role in a few days. Once that happens and all the Christmas idents are off, the Buzzcocks special is a thing of the past etc, I doubt we'll be seeing a whole lot of him. I'm not saying his career is over by a long chalk, but he's done all his promotional chatshow and QI panel appearences now and I seriously doubt the BBC will be bothering to put him in the limelight 1% as much as they have been doing after this weekend.

[Stuart Wallis]

Exactly the point I was going to make. I daresay matey will be back in 3-4 years time complaining about too much Matt Smith; some people just aren't happy unless they've got a moan on.

[Rob McCow]

I'm happy for them to make the most of it while he's still on Doctor Who. And he is extremely popular and quite a good actor, so why not celebrate that?

[Dino]

And as the only person to vote yes...
I was thinking it was a bit much over-exposure of him but then again this is his big send off and "Oh he should be so wanted in 6 months time?" as some say in showbiz?
My vote has nothing to do with the Tories and I've seen Nigel Evans on TV a few times myself. Not so much this year but whenever I do I always feel like he could use his arguements for good rather than Tory dogma?
Whenever Nigel Evans speaks (and he reminds me of someone I went to school with?) I keep expecting Jon Pertwee to race in and goes "Cameron is controlling your mind! You must resist him!"

And the worst of it is, David isn't a guest or presenting Have I Got News For You?

EDIT: Ahhh! David said last year he'd help Labour in their election campaign?
So the first shot has been fired?

But yeah, I hope this bites those blues on their behind! Epic fail Nigel!

EDIT: EDIT: Intrigue! I'm not the only one to vote yes?

[Si Hunt]

I've no idea what you're talking about but I'm sure your argument is sound!

Si. :mobile

[Larry]

If Tory MPs have so much time on their hands they can tot up the total appearances of David Tennant on TV over Christmas, then what kind of Government are they going to form?

Sorry but this is just another Tory attack on the BBC, which they desperately want to destroy.

Si xx

agreed, the countries economy is in a mess we have our soldiers fighting and dying in Afghanastan yet we have some pointless parlimentry committe more concerned that David Tennent has been on telly 75 times in 3 weeks.

[Captain Tancredi]

If his American pilot works out, it may be a long time before Tennant appears in a BBC studio again- what may appear to some as over-exposure could well just be a case of using up his contractual publicity commitments from Who and from the actor's point of view, taking the work that's offered while people want him. Presumably the Who repeats on BBC3 mean that he probably appears on the BBC between 5 and 7 times in an ordinary week anyway, but it's also interesting that his politics may have an effect on things. I can understand the BBC wanting to keep an eye on his profile if he does go on to endorse Labour publicly once we're into the full election campaign, and that may have led to some things being brought forward which would otherwise have gone out next year.

[Rob McCow]

I'm hoping that next year the Christmas schedules will be propped up by Davros. He could do Strictly Come Dancing, read children's books and star in his own version of Hamlet.
"Alas poor Yorrick - I knew him, DOC-TOR!!!!"

[SiHart]

I don't think the Tories would complain nearly as much if Davros was on TV all the time.

Si xx

[Stuart Wallis]

But he votes Lib Dem!