Doctor Who: David Tennant swears on Graham Norton Show with word banned on TV

The Graham Norton Show returned to BBC One on Friday night, airing at 9pm

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23:35, 30 SEP 2022

David Tennant on The Graham Norton Show (Image: BBC)

David Tennant had fans in stitches on Friday night as he bellowed out a word banned on British television as part of his guest appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

The actor, famous for his time on Doctor Who, and currently in BBC drama Inside Man, recounted a hilarious story about his father's time working for the Church of Scotland, which included a family policy on swear words.

Tennant explained that, despite his need to sometimes play foul-mouthed characters, he has never used profanities in front of his father, even into adulthood. And, for the most part, his father, once the moderator of the Church of Scotland, has followed suit.

However, Tennant revealed there was one funny exception to that rule. It came after his father saw Billy Connolly live on stage.

"My father was a moderator for the Church of Scotland for a time," Tennant told Norton, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lydia West on the famous sofa. "He was high up."

"I never swore in front of him and I never, never heard him say [anything]. He was a man of the cloth. He was a clergyman, for goodness sake.

"I never heard him swear. If he heard me swear in things, that was always the script, so that was fine.

"I don't think a swear word ever passed his lips... until, he came down to stay in London once, to go and see Billy Connolly. Billy Connolly, we grew up loving him. We had cassettes of him in the car.

"He started doing bits of the act. But then, I guess because it was the script, suddenly he's standing in my living going c***!

"This is the moderator of the Church of Scotland. He could be excommunicated. But because it was Billy, it was allowed. Billy's a special case."

Tennant's outburst, which not only came with profanity but also him standing and shouting the word at Norton's audience caused quite a stir in the studio. Jamie Lee Curtis joked that she didn't have enough purchase on the sofa to deal with Tennant's outburst and said: "You know, on American television, you can't say that word."

Putting on a face of faux outrage, Norton interrupted to say: "On British television you can't say that word."

"But, he just did," replied Curtis, to which Norton reminded her: "We're not live."

Fans on Twitter were quick to enjoy the hilarity of the moment. One said: "I need a Tennant in my life."

Graham Norton (left), Jamie Lee Curtis (centre left), Lydia West (centre right) and David Tennant (right) discuss his new dogs (Image: BBC)

CunningSmile said: "Jamie Lee Curtis almost choking from laughing just made it even funnier". Another said: "Love how Jamie basically never saw that coming".

Meanwhile, Norton also gave Tennant the chance to discuss his new puppy Bernard. However, the former Doctor Who lead actor's other dog, Myrtle, has apparently been struggling to adapt.

"We're a couple of weeks into it now," he said. "The one on the left who is the lovely fluffy puppy, Bernard. Myrtle though, look how pleased she is to have a new puppy.

"We have ruined her life. She is furious.

"But he doesn't read the room. He keeps jumping up, she keeps getting angrier and angrier and bats him away."

Tennant is set to return to Doctor Who in 2023 as the show celebrates its 60th anniversary. He will joined in a much-anticipated comeback by Catherine Tate, who will reprise her role as Donna Noble.

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