David Tennant says he struggled in 'coping' with 'Doctor Who' fame

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Tennant said he used to feel "intimidated" by people who would look at him as a star.
David Tennant
David Tennant

LONDON: Actor David Tennant has admitted that he had a pretty tough time coping with the fame after his turn as Time Lord on the hit show "Doctor Who".

The 48-year-old actor portrayed the famous character in the BBC series from 2005 to 2010 and reprised it in 2015.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Tennant said he used to feel "intimidated" by people who would look at him as a star.

"The way you imagine it's going to be is not the way it is at all. It's much more exposing, and the imaginative leap you've had that it will give you status or make you invulnerable is all wrong. It makes you very vulnerable, and very raw. I remember way back, when I'd be in a room and someone well known would walk in, and there's that sort of whisper goes around the room and everyone looks. And you imagine being that person is somehow powerful," the actor said.

"When you are that person, you walk into a room and everyone turns their head and whispers, and you feel like you're being squashed. You feel intimidated, and you feel scared, actually," he added.

Tennant said he turned to therapy as he was not "coping at all".

"(I) wasn't coping at all, (so I sought help from) a very lovely older lady who was very calm and normal and just helped me cope with it," he said.

The actor, who next stars in Amazon's "Good Omens", said he suffered with anxiety since he was just 10 years old.

"I've always had insecurity, a lack of self-confidence, which is classic (for an actor). It's why you like dressing up and pretending to be someone else," he added.

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