Actor David Tennant has signed up to reprise his role as Hamlet for BBC Two.

The Doctor Who star recently completed a stint playing the prince on stage as part of a Royal Shakespeare Company production.

He will be joined by all of the key members of its original cast, including Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart, who plays Claudius.

Last week Tennant finished filming his farewell Doctor Who episodes, which will be shown later this year.

He announced he was leaving the popular BBC show last year at the National Television Awards.

BBC Two controller Janice Hadlow said the 180-minute screen production of Hamlet was “a wonderful opportunity… to bring one of the great stage successes of last year to a wider audience”.

Tickets for the stage performances, which opened in Stratford-Upon-Avon and later moved to London, sold out in hours.

After his debut appearance, the Guardian called Tennant the “best Hamlet in years”.

Although the 38-year-old was lauded by critics, he hurt his back and was unable to perform for a while as he recovered from surgery.

In February his return to the stage as Hamlet was named the event of the year in the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards, which also saw Kenneth Branagh win best actor for Ivanov.

Source: BBC news

…YAY!

According to Variety the final five episodes of the UK show Doctor Who to star David Tennant will be appear on BBC America. Sci Fi has aired the cult show for four seasons. The first episode will be shown on June 27. Tennant has retired from playing the time-travelling doctor and is to be replaced by Matt Smith.

Source: Here

David Tennant is to appear as the Time Lord in Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, the BBC has announced.

Tennant, 38, will appear over two episodes of a new 12-part series of the CBBC show, which starts in September.

Russell T Davies, executive producer of The Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who, said it would be a “full on appearance” and “not just a cameo”.

The show follows the adventures of the investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith – a former Doctor’s companion.

Smith is played by actress Elisabeth Sladen, 61, who also played the character in Doctor Who opposite Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker between 1973 and 1976.

‘Special treat’

Sladen said she was “absolutely over the moon” to be co-starring alongside Tennant.

“It’s fantastic news that Sarah Jane is going to spend some time working with the Doctor again and is testament to just how successful this CBBC series is.”

Davies said: “Viewers thought they may have to wait until November for the next full episode of Doctor Who, but this is an extra special treat.

“And it’s not just a cameo from David.

“This is a full-on appearance for the Doctor as he and Sarah Jane face their biggest threat ever.”

The third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures will feature monsters who want to infect earth and a “living painting”.

Tennant is being replaced as Doctor Who by actor Matt Smith, 26, who will appear as the 11th Doctor next year.

Tennant will firstly appear in three specials, starting with The Waters of Mars in November.

Meanwhile, Doctor Who may be heading for the big screen after a spokeswoman for BBC Films confirmed that “a script is in development”.

BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba said there were no guarantees a film would be made and that, if the project went into full production, a release would be a long time away.

Source: BBC News

David Tennant to Host Masterpiece contemporary 2009 on PBS — Star of Doctor Who and Casanova Makes his Debut in October

One of Britain’s most popular actors has been named the new host of Masterpiece contemporary. David Tennant, well known to fans of British television for his acclaimed star turns as Doctor Who and Casanova, will make his hosting debut when Masterpiece contemporary returns in October, 2009, with Endgame, a drama about the last days of apartheid.

“How many actors can nail the characters of Casanova and Doctor Who?,” says Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton. “David’s talent, versatility and unique appeal make him the perfect match for Masterpiece contemporary.”

“I’m honored to be hosting the series that introduced American audiences to programming such as Casanova and He Knew He Was Right,” says Tennant. “And it’s a thrill to join the Masterpiece family of hosts: Mystery’s Alan Cumming and Classic’s Laura Linney.”

Tennant’s award-winning run (2005-present) in the classic British sci-fi series Doctor Who has gained him worldwide recognition. His other iconic television roles include the flirtatious vicar Reverend Gibson in Masterpiece‘s He Knew He Was Right; the infamous 18th-century lothario Casanova in Masterpiece‘s rollicking miniseries, playing the youthful counterpart to Peter O’Toole; and the down-at-the-heel Inspector Peter Carlisle in the cult hit Blackpool.

His career, launched in his native Scotland, extends to film and stage. Millions of moviegoers know him as Barty Crouch Junior in the blockbuster Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Ginger Littlejohn in Stephen Fry’s Bright Young Things. He recently worked with Bill Nighy, Romola Garai and Julie Christie in the Stephen Poliakoff film 1939, which will be released later this year.

A graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Tennant developed his stage career at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He recently completely a successful run as Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Masterpiece contemporary will return in October 2009 with Endgame, a gripping new drama about the final days of apartheid in South Africa. Starring William Hurt (Damages), Chiwetel Ejiofer (Dirty Pretty Things, American Gangster, Serenity), and Jonny Lee Miller (Eli Stone, Trainspotting), Endgame premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

More info here!

Major squee!!!