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PHOTOSHOOTS > Photoshoots #41 – #50 > Session #46
PHOTOSHOOTS > Photoshoots #41 – #50 > Session #47

FORMER Doctor Who star David Tennant got carried through a river and failed to make a ‘magical donkey’ move while on the set of his latest film.

Filming at Llanrhaeadr Waterfall last Thursday, David Tennant was playing the part of supply teacher Mr Pieterson for the sequel to the 2009 hit comedy Nativity!, when he learned why they say you should ‘never work with animals or children’.

One scene in particular left Tennant in no doubt wishing he could escape Mid Wales in his Tardis.

The Scottish actor and co-star Marc Wooton stumbled across a ‘magic donkey’ who was supposed to point them in the direction to go, but the ass had other ideas, refusing to move regardless of how hard Wooton tried pulling at its reigns.

The patience of the two actors became somewhat strained and when producers suggested changing the plan so one of the children try moving the donkey, Wooton snapped “let me get this right, you are suggesting one of the kids make this donkey move when a man like me can’t?”

To the amusement of everyone watching, the plan proved a good one as the young girl was able to persuade the donkey to follow her at the first time of asking.

Wooton stormed off as soon as the scene was finished, closely followed by David Tennant, who darted into his blacked-out car, ignoring autograph hunters holding out Doctor Who boxsets.

Earlier that day, Tennant had to be carried through a cold river by Wooton and spent hours filming scenes over-and-over again as slow progress was made.

He spent large parts of the day walking up and down muddy hills while holding one of the child actors in his arms.

As a result the normally bubbly star seemed out of sorts and refused to speak with anyone unrelated to the movie, telling the press “I am to busy” when asked what it is like making a film in Mid Wales?

Earlier in the week David Tennant was spotted filming at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant’s market Square and driving a large amphibious vehicle on Lake Vyrnwy.
n Nativity 2 is expected to be completed ahead of a release in time for Christmas 2012.

The short-listed entries will be announced on Monday 9 January 2012 and the winners announced at a ceremony to be held on Sunday 29 January 2012 in the Radio Theatre at BBC Broadcasting House, London.

The award categories are:

• Best Audio Drama
• Best Actor in an Audio Drama
• Best Actress in an Audio Drama
• Best Supporting Actor/Actress in an Audio Drama
• Best Adaptation from Another Source (script award)
• Best Use of Sound in an Audio Drama
• Best Scripted Comedy Drama
• Best Online Only Audio Drama
• Innovation Award

David Tennant, actor, says: “The quality of our radio drama is one of the things that makes me proud to be British. Acting on the radio is challenging, inspiring, delicate and always a privilege. Radio drama is often overlooked and undervalued next to its showier younger siblings on the television and in the cinema, and yet it is on the wireless that so many important and brilliant talents have been discovered and nurtured. I am delighted radio drama is being celebrated in this way, it’s about time.”

Hugh Grant voices the Pirate Captain – seen here meeting the dastardly Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton) who is Not Amused – who leads his merry but less-than-totally-competent band of bucanneers around the seas in search of treasure and, preferably, the Pirate Of The Year award (modelled in this trailer by Brian Blessed’s Pirate King). Things, it’s fair to say, do not go entirely to plan.

The cast also includes David Tennant, Brendan Gleeson, Salma Hayek, Jeremy Piven, Martin Freeman, Ashley Jensen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Russell Tovey. It’s all based on the first two of Gideon Defoe’s Pirates! books, and directed by Aardman stalwart Peter Lord with co-director Jeff Newitt.

You can read more from Lord himself on the film in the guest blogs he’s written for us here and here. The film’s out on March 28 next year, and we’ll be following all the developments between now and then. This is some seriously funny stuff and, it almost goes without saying, gorgeous animation.

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Newsrack > Magazines > Doctor Who > Issue #440