Why David Tennant quit Doctor Who and his life off-screen with wife and kids

Ever since David Tennant made his surprise return as Doctor Who on BBC Children In Need 2023, fans of the sci-fi show have been reminiscing over their fondness for its most famous star.

The 52-year-old left his role as the tenth Time Lord in 2010 after five years of travelling through the eons, much to the disappointment of his devout fanbase. Scottish native David has largely been regarded as the most popular incarnation of Doctor Who, with around half of the nation tuning in for his episode and polls regularly revealing him as viewers’ favourite pick. He handed the legendary character over to Matt Smith in 2010, who, although earned positive reviews for his portrayal of Doctor Who, never achieved the same level of fandom enjoyed by his predecessor.

Speaking about his decision to finally move on from the long-running BBC series in 2010, David explained that it was simply a case of ‘now or never.’

“I’ve had the most brilliant, bewildering and life changing time working on Doctor Who. I have loved every day of it. It would be very easy to cling on to the TARDIS console forever and I fear that if I don’t take a deep breath and make the decision to move on now, then I simply never will,” he admitted to the BBC. “You would be prising the TARDIS key out of my cold dead hand. This show has been so special to me, I don’t want to outstay my welcome.”

Fortunately for fans, David decided to return to Doctor Who in 2022 as the fourteenth incarnation of the time-travelling humanoid, and will be back in December 2023 for three special episodes in celebration of its 60th anniversary. He also made a one-off appearance in 2013 for the show’s 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor.

David rarely discusses his personal life with the public, having previously admitted that “relationships are hard enough with the people you’re having them with, let alone talking about them in public.” He married Georgia Moffett since 2011, after meeting the actress while they were filming an episode of Doctor Who three years prior. The couple share five children, including Ty Tennant, Georgia’s son from a previous relationship whom David later adopted. The 21-year-old, who is also an actor, has spoken out about his tight bond with his famous father in the past.

“It was great, I was five when I first met my dad, my mum was working on Doctor Who at the time,” Ty said on This Morning. “I watched him on TV as the hero, and it was crazy how much your life can change.” David has also gushed about the wonders of fatherhood in the past, calling it “one of the most extraordinary and life-affirming things that can ever happen to you, as well as being something you have to keep working at if you’re going to be any good at it.”

As for why he and Georgia have decided to keep their younger children, Olive, 12, Wilfred, ten, Doris, eight, and three-year-old Birdie, out of the spotlight, David explained: “The kids don’t ask to be photographed when we’re walking down the street, and we’ve decided that if we don’t talk much about them in public, then we can maintain a bit of moral high ground to be able to say to photographers, ‘Look, we don’t talk about them, so you don’t need to take their picture.'” David has also insisted that he and Georgia, who live in Chiswick with their five kids, have no intention of inviting the press into their domestic sphere. “I don’t think we’ll ever be sharing pictures of our children in Hello! magazine, but I think a lot of that comes from an insecurity about being uncovered or invaded,” he told the Guardian in 2020.