Doctor Who star David Tennant has been praised for his ‘dignified’ answer over being ‘called out’ for being a trans ally by Harry Potter author JK Rowling.
Tennant, who appeared in the 2005 film adaptation of Rowling‘s fourth Harry Potter novel, The Goblet of Fire, appeared on ITV1 show The Assembly, in which celebrities face questions from a group of autistic, neurodivergent and learning-disabled people.
In the episode, which aired 27 April, Tennant likened today’s treatment of trans people to Thatcher’s Section 28 – a 1988 law which prohibited the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality.
“When I was a teenager, there was this thing that Mrs Thatcher’s government introduced called section 28, which was about stopping the promotion of homosexuality in school, which was a weird umbrella term, which was basically saying it was illegal to talk about being gay in school, or to suggest that that might be a normal way of behaving,” said Tennant.
“We look back on that now as a medieval, absurd thing to try and say, and I think the way the trans community is being demonised and othered is exactly the same. It’s become this kind of political football.”
David Tennant was also questioned on his previous interactions with Rowling, a vocal gender critical activist, who recently toasted ‘TERF VE Day’ following the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that the legal definition of a woman was trans-exclusionary.
In June 2024, Rowling accused the Good Omens star of being part of the “gender Taliban”, while Tennant said he believes transgender people should have “the right to be who they want to be… as long as they’re not harming anyone”.
Rowling’s post on X came after Tennant criticised then equalities minister Kemi Badenoch for her persistent anti-trans comments and policy suggestions. Speaking at the British LGBT Awards, he said Badenoch should “shut up”, and that people who stand against the trans community are “a tiny bunch of little whinging f**kers who are on the wrong side of history,” adding that they would “all go away soon”.
On the episode of The Assembly, Tennant said in response to a question on how he felt when the English author “called [him] out,” that, “JK Rowling is a wonderful author who’s created brilliant stories, and I wish her no ill will, but I hope that we can all as a society, just let people be. Just get out of people’s way.”
He’s more dignified in his answer about JK Rowling than I ever could be #davidtennant pic.twitter.com/uGaHpOyTyu
— 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲
(@michsu81) April 27, 2025
David Tennant has been praised for his “dignified” answer by viewers of the show, with one who wrote, “He’s just a lovely human being.”
Another added, “Petition to make this man prime minister.”
“Sitting here almost crying because of how much I love and admire David Tennant because God, I really f**king love David Tennant. A national treasure who is too good and pure for this world,” another wrote.
Tennant is a vocal trans ally, from wearing a trans TARDIS pin on The One Show to supporting trans children. He also reportedly barred Rowling from a Doctor Who cameo in 2008.
The Assembly aired on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX now
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