David Tennant defends casting non-disabled child actor in his TV show

David Tennant has defended the casting of a child actor without disabilities as a character with severe learning difficulties in his latest TV comedy There She Goes.

The former Doctor Who star and Spaced actress Jessica Hynes play the parents of the child, Rosie, who has a severe learning disability. The show is based on the real-life experience of its writers Shaun Pye and Sarah Crawford with their daughter, who was born with an extremely rare chromosomal disorder.

Although Tennant said disabled actors should be given their chance, he noted the show's producers explored casting a child actress with disabilities, but ultimately the role was too demanding for someone so young with similar impairments to Rosie.

"Of course, that's a live issue and one that has to be rightly unpicked," he told The Guardian, continuing: "anyone who appreciates the kind of challenges that a child like Rosie would have doesn't doubt that it would not really have been possible."

Instead, 11-year-old Miley Locke was cast, who Tennant praised as an 'incredible find', saying she has taken to the challenging role she plays with sensitivity.

Along with "an incredible capacity to find the truth of that character," Tennant added, "(Miley) is also very game - I'm endlessly having to pick her up and fling her about and yank her around."