Staged stars David Tennant and Michael Sheen have traded a number of jibes over the years since starring in the BBC series, but what is really going on between the pair?
David Tennant and Michael Sheen have exchanged a number of cheeky digs over the years since starring together in Staged.
Doctor Who star, David, 52, who is hosting the BAFTAs for the second time tonight, plays a fictionalised version of himself alongside the Welsh actor, 56, in the BBC series in which the pair talk (and snipe at each other) over Zoom.
During one episode of the show, which aired during the pandemic, the thespians argue over who is more famous as David boasts of his role as Barty Crouch Jr in Harry Potter.
On a Zoom call with Michael and a bemused-looking Whoopi Goldberg, he brags: “Harry Potter made nearly £10 million”. Scoffing, Michael says: “You were in one film,” before adding: “I was actually, actually in four of the Twilight films”. Getting out of his chair, David then shouts: “I’m Doctor Who!” “Not anymore, baby!”, screams Michael, in reference to the dad-of-five’s exit from the iconic role.
David Tennant and Michael Sheen traded a number of cheeky jibes in their Staged show
With his nose pressed up against the laptop screen, the Scot then snipes: “Well at least I’ve got a TV Choice Award”, before threatening to “ram” the trophy up Michael’s “tight Welsh rectum”. “That’s exactly where it belongs!,” shouts the Welshman as the shouty scene comes to an end.
Since the show, the sniping continued, notably when David hosted the BAFTAs for the first time last year. During a toe-curling video sketch, he ribs Michael about looking after his incontinent dog, ‘Bark Ruffalo’, while rolling his eyes at the suggestion of the actor having a “call with Hollywood”.
When David rocks up at the BAFTAs in front of the star-studded audience, he gives Michael his dog back saying he couldn’t find anyone to look after it. “What if I need to go up on stage to get an award” asks the put-out Welshman to which David scoffs as the Michael takes the mutt and concedes: “Yeah, ok then”.
The pair also worked together in season two of comedy TV series Good Omen. During one scene they have to kiss, which David quipped Michael enjoyed more than him. When asked who “enjoyed it most” after the pair had to lock lips in one scene, he told the Guardian: “Presumably Michael was thrilled. How could he not be? But it was another day at work. The most difficult bit was other people’s awkwardness. We thought it was quite fun, so it was fine. He’d brushed his teeth.”
The Scot ribbed Michael again at the BAFTAs last year, but the pair are actually very good pals (
BBC)
Fans could be forgiven in thinking there was some underlying beef between the pair after the jibes and mock insults. However, in reality, the pair are actually very good friends. During a spotlight panel at MCM London Comic Con 2022, Michael spoke about the bond he shares with his Good Omens co-star, and how their daughters brought them closer together.
Michael shares daughter Lily Mo with actress Kate Beckinsale and has two daughters with his current partner, actress Anna Lundberg. Meanwhile, David has five kids with his wife, actress, Georgia.
Explaining how fatherhood brought him closer to David, Michael said: “David and I were in a film called Bright Young Things together many years ago, but we didn’t get to act together in that,” he recalled. “And we really didn’t know each other from that. We’ve known each other to say hello to over the years, but it wasn’t until we did Good Omens that we got to know each other. And of course, we spent a lot of time together on that. It was essentially me and David sitting in a tent all day a lot of the time. We sort of slowly got to know each other during that. Actually, it was probably during the publicity for that where we really got to know each other.
“And then because we both had babies within weeks of each other – me and Anna, and David and Georgia – we got very kind of bonded because of that. We say that David and Georgia’s Birdie and our little girl Lyra…we say that Lyra has only got one friend, and that’s Birdie. We got very close, and we got very lucky, because you don’t know what the chemistry is going to be like between you and another actor until you start working together.”
