• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
David Tennant undergoes incredible transformation in latest drama airing tonight

Home> Entertainment

Updated 15:41 22 Jan 2024 GMTPublished 14:44 15 Dec 2022 GMT

David Tennant undergoes incredible transformation in latest drama airing tonight

Even his wife couldn't recognise him

Daisy Phillipson

Daisy Phillipson

David Tennant undergoes an incredible transformation in a new drama series based on a shocking true story.

And the best news is the series airs tonight. You can watch the trailer below:

The acclaimed actor is no stranger to changing his look, having played a truly varied range of characters from serial killer Dennis Nilsen to the iconic Doctor Who.

Advert

This time round he's taking on the role of Alexander Litvinenko, the former Russian spy who died in 2006 after an illness that was attributed to poisoning with radioactive material.

The story is being told in ITV's new four-part drama Litvinenko, with the series dropping on its new streaming hub ITVX tonight (15 December).

In an image shared by the network, Tennant looks unrecognisable to his usual self as he lays in bed with wires hooked up to him and his head completely bald.

The still is strikingly similar to the famous image taken of Litvinenko in hospital before his death.

Tennant's wife Georgia was even taken aback by how different her husband looked, writing on Instagram: "I can usually see him in every character he plays.

Advert

Even Tennant's wife couldn't recognise him.
Instagram

"Between the cracks of often immersive brilliance, I can spot him. Sometimes just briefly, but I do and I feel smugly reassured.

"But not with this."

She continued: "I know him better than I know anyone but in this, couldn't find him. He lost me and it was magical."

As said, the upcoming show is based on the true story of Litvinenko's untimely death and the police investigation into the shocking incident.

Advert

Per the official synopsis: "In November 2006, Litvinenko, a former KGB officer, lies dying in a London hospital - poisoned by a mysterious radioactive substance.

"As police are summoned to take his statement, Litvinenko points his finger directly at the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

"Litvinenko's death a few days later sparks an investigation into a chemical attack on the streets of London and a ten-year investigation between Britain and Russia to find justice for his murder."

Years after Litvinenko's passing, a 2016 inquiry concluded that he was poisoned by Russians Dmitri Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi, who are believed to have put the polonium-210 into his drink at a London hotel.

The inquiry found that the tea poisoning was 'probably approved’ by Putin and then-FSB director Nikolai Patrushev.

Advert

It was concluded the Putin 'probably approved' the poisoning.
Kremlin Pool/Alamy Stock Photo

In 2021, the case 'Carter v Russia' saw the European Court of Human Rights rule Russia as being responsible for Litvinenko's death and ordered the country to pay his widow Marina €100,000 (£86,500) in damages.

As for the new series, alongside Tennant, Russian-American actor Margarita Levieva will be portraying Litvinenko's wife.

ITV recruited the assistance of former Scotland Yard detectives Clive Timmons and Brent Hyatt when making the series, along with the family of the ex-spy and his wife’s lawyer.

Timmons is played in the dramatisation by Mark Bonnar while Hyatt will be portrayed by Neil Maskell.

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Topics: Crime, ITV, Russia, TV and Film, David Tennant

Daisy Phillipson
Daisy Phillipson

Daisy graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, writing a thesis on the move from print to digital publishing. Continuing this theme, she has written for a range of online publications including Digital Spy and Little White Lies, with a particular passion for TV and film. Contact her on [email protected]

X

@DaisyWebb77

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
11 hours ago
16 hours ago
17 hours ago
  • 10 hours ago

    People have been shown ‘hidden' Star Wars film that never made it into the cinema and have surprising response

    Surely they should've shown it on May 4th instead of last week

    Entertainment
  • 11 hours ago

    New Bruce Springsteen biopic trailer drops with fans stunned by cast

    Fans don't have long to wait until Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere hits cinemas

    Entertainment
  • 16 hours ago

    Pope Leo is related to Madonna and more famous celebs as gobsmacking family tree revealed

    The first American Pope might be related to pop star Madonna and other Hollywood celebrities

    Entertainment
  • 17 hours ago

    Nobel Prize winning scientist finally explains Interstellar's ending in mindblowing new clip

    Finally, an explanation of Interstellar’s ending I can (kind of) understand

    Entertainment
  • Viewers are hooked on new four-part British drama thriller airing again tonight
  • Netflix is recommending ‘horrific’ crime drama based on true story to watch next after ‘frightening’ ITV drama
  • Vicky Pattison's deepfake sex tape is airing on TV tonight as star explains why she's released it
  • Tragic murder of Sian O'Callaghan as Martin Freeman ITV drama about her disappearance drops on Netflix