The new Disney+ series stars David Tennant, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer

Anish Vij

David Tennant has opened up on the surprising on-set injury he got while filming a raunchy scene for a new show on Disney+.

Based on Jilly Cooper's 1988 novel of the same name, the eight-part series centres around the intense rivalry between TV controller Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant) and former Olympic horse-rider and Conservative MP Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell).

Emily Atack plays Sarah Stratton, the wife of the deputy prime minister, while Claire Rushbrook stars as aristocrat Lady Monica Baddingham.

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We also get Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara and Victoria Smurfit as Maud O'Hara.

The series – called Rivals – follows the ruthless independent television era of the late 1980s, packed with shocking moments, romantic entanglements and lots of sex.

Opening up about his time on set, the Doctor Who actor, 53, said he injured himself twice, once while he was filming a rather intimate scene.

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"My knee I smashed up diving onto a bed, to indulge in some sexual ecstasy," he told Cosmopolitan.

"Not good timing. Smashed my knee.

"And then I cut my arm open in a scene that was very violent. Spoilers – I don't want to say too much more than that. But I did it to myself."

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This comes after The Inbetweeners star Atack, 34, took time to address viewers who criticised her fully nude scene.

It seems that during a tennis match Atack is fully nude, which has had people talking.

Speaking to Sky News, she said: "It's so liberating.

"Of course, there are going to be people out there that take what you do and try and spin a negative narrative on it. I'm a woman, of course, people are going to do that.

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"But what I have to keep stressing to people is I'm exactly where I need to be. I'm at work, I'm playing a role, I'm very comfortable and I'm on a closed set.

"We have intimacy coordinators, I get on very well with my director, the crew, the actors and I'm very happy and comfortable.

"It's other people's characters that need to be looked at if they're going to twist it into some grotesque negativity."

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Overall, the series has been very well received, earning a 94 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The audience also gave it a generous 91 percent score, at the time of writing.

Rivals is available to watch on Disney+ now.

Topics: Celebrity, David Tennant, TV and Film, Sex and Relationships

Anish is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2024 finalist. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ – family, friends, football and food.
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