David Tennant encouraged friend and colleague Michael Sheen to make a surprise appearance, which caused his return to presenting Have I Got News For You to backfire a little.
The 52-year-old Scottish actor served as the presenter of Friday’s HIGNFY, earning plaudits from viewers for producing a programme “full of belly laughs,” even though some of them were at his cost.
David and Welsh actor Michael, 54, who was his co-star in the critically acclaimed television series Staged and Good Omens, have worked closely together and are good friends.
However, the panel turned against Michael when he made a surprise appearance on Friday’s broadcast in a brief clip when he taught the judges how to pronounce Bannau Brycheiniog, the Welsh name for the Brecon Beacons.
It was immediately apparent who was the favourite as regulars Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, as well as visitors Lucy Beaumont and Richard Osman, compared Michael to David.
‘He’s very good isn’t he, Michael Sheen,’ Richard began, as David scoffed: ‘He’s alright.’
‘Anything he does, he carries,’ Richard continued, poking fun at Michael’s multiple collaborations with the Broadchurch actor.
‘He’s the actor of his generation,’ Paul agreed.
Lucy asked the Scottish star: ‘Do people in Scotland like you as much as people in Wales like him?’ – with David’s silence saying it all.
As dramatic actor David stood at the head of the comedy panel, Richard, feeling the need to get one last dig in, said that Michael is a “versatile” actor who can “both comedy and drama, which a lot of actors can’t.”
David’s dramatic simmering in the host’s chair helped the lighthearted taunting go down well with viewers, who flocked to social media to laud it as the finest show in decades.
‘David Tennant absolutely has the Midas Touch,’ one fan wrote. ‘Whatever he touches turns to gold… bloomin marvellous.’
‘That was an enjoyable and pretty excellent #HIGNFY. Credit especially to David Tennant for the atmosphere,’ another praised, while one said it was ‘one of the best eps we’ve had in a while. David always such a great host.’
One admitted she had ‘sat through episodes with barely a titter’ but the latest ‘had me laughing out loud throughout.’
David is working hard to get ready for his upcoming role as The Doctor in this year’s special 60th Anniversary episodes.
Fans were ecstatic to hear that he will be returning to the Star Wars world and would play a significant part in the upcoming Ahsoka series on Disney Plus.
David, 51, voiced the droid Huyang in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars almost ten years ago, in 2012.
And this month, it was made official that he will return after his voice was hinted to in the previously released Ahsoka teaser.
