David Tennant has revealed that he is actually going by a stage name and was forced to change his birth name when he started out in the industry.
During an interview on BBC’s The One show, the Scots actor, who hosted the 2025 BAFTA Awards on Sunday evening, made the shocking confession as he explained why he had to adopt the fake moniker on the popular evening programme.
The 53-year-old said: “I had to change my name as you do when you join the actor’s union. If there’s somebody with your name, my name was David McDonald so at 16 I had to find a new name and I thought how do you do that at 16?”
Revealing how he settled on a new ‘chic’ surname, the Doctor Who legend revealed he was inspired by one famous British popstar.
He continued: “So I went through a copy of ‘Smash Hits’ and I found Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys and I thought ‘Oh that’s good, it’s a good strong solid name’ so I’m named after Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys.”
Fans of the Scots actor were left gobsmacked to discover the news after the BBC uploaded a clip of the bombshell moment to their TikTok page.
One expressed their shock by writing: “I’M SORRY WHAT HIS NAME ISN’T DAVID TENNANT.” Another echoed: “Here’s me just learning for the first time his name isn’t David Tennant.”
A third questioned who the other actor was that led to his name change as they commented: “Wait so who’s the real David McDonald?!”
However, the Tennant name is now officially his after the Rivals actor legally changed his surname in the 2000s. The star, who is married to his wife Georgia, shares four kids with the actress, as well as her eldest son Ty from a previous relationship, who has also now taken on the Tennant name.
David recently hit headlines after hosting the 2025 BAFTA Awards at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, February 16.
The dad-of-five showed off his patriotism for Scotland by kicking off the show with his own personal rendition of I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers while dressed in a kilt.