Posted in: BBC, Doctor Who, TV | Tagged: baftas, david tennant

BAFTAs: David Tennant on Being Asked Back to Host, What He's Learned

David Tennant shares his initial reaction when he was asked back to host the BAFTAs and what he learned from hosting last year's ceremony.

Nearly two months after he was announced as returning to host the 2025 EE BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Film Awards and about a week before the big event, David Tennant (Doctor Who, Good Omens, Rivals) is opening up about his initial reaction to being asked back to host the 78th edition, how being a BAFTAs host was an opportunity he didn't see coming, and what he learned from last year as he heads towards February 16th.

"When they asked me back, I thought, "Really? Are you sure?;" Tennant joked during his interview with The Hollywood Reporter about the hosting gig, though being the ringmaster for one the film industry's biggest nights wasn't originally on his radar. "It's quite curious because it's not something I'd ever imagined I would be asked to do or particularly aspired to do," he explained. "It was one of those things that came out of the blue. And you think, 'I probably can't say no to this because it's such a unique thing to be a part of.'"

"You do learn in the midst of it that everyone who's there has an agenda, absolutely understandably," Tennant continued, sharing what he's learned regarding his role as host during the night's proceedings. "The people up for awards have an agenda, the people who are presenting awards have an agenda…. [As host], you've just got to keep it smooth. You quite quickly realize this must not be about me. That was quite liberating once I realized, 'You know what? It doesn't matter what I do. It's not really about me. I just have to queue up the next person.' You're a facilitator, and it takes the pressure off."

BAFTAs 2024: A Look Back at David Tennant's Opener

Heading into last year's ceremony, Tennant made it crystal clear that he would be steering clear of dropping any Taylor Swift jokes while hosting. But what we did get from Tennant was another reunion with his long-time friend & co-star Michael Sheen for the awards ceremony's opening sketch. Shifting back to the twisted versions of themselves from their popular pandemic series Staged, the video below finds Sheen needing Tennant to babysit his dog, Bark Ruffalo. But there's one huge problem – Tennant has to host the BAFTAs, so… what to do, what to do? How about trying to find a replacement sitter – like Stanley Tucci, Himesh Patel, Tom Hiddleston, or Judi Dench? Unfortunately, Tennant doesn't get any takers – so it's time for Tennant to make Bark Ruffalo his "plus one" as they make their way to the awards show (and a reunion with Sheen). Seriously… Tennant, Sheen, guest stars, and an adorable dog – how can you go wrong?

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