David Tennant’s turn as The Doctor in the long-running series Dr Who has been voted as the British screen character film fans would most like to see regenerate into the next Prime Minister, conquering the likes of Obi-Wan Kenobi and James Bond.
To mark the general election LOVEFiLM polled over 2,000 members to discover which screen character has the traits best suited to run the country.
After repeatedly saving the world as The Doctor, 31 per cent of voters put him in pole position for the role.
Hot on his heels but sadly unable to fly through time, Dame Judi Dench’s firm MI5 agent M in the Bond series was named runner up for the job (25 per cent), and with lines like ‘Utter one more syllable and I’ll have you killed’ who could blame them?
Taking a more naturalistic approach by harnessing the powers of the Jedi was Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi. First introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) some 33 years ago, Alec rounded up the Jedis to win 11 per cent of the votes and third place in the poll.
Rowan Atkinson came out in fourth with nine per cent of the votes for his role as Edmund Blackadder in the hit British comedy followed by certainly the most foppish screen PM to date, Hugh Grant as David in Love Actually at number five (six per cent).
Michael Sheen’s portrayal of Brian Clough, the successful footballer and coach hit the back of the net with film fans who voted him into sixth place (five per cent) while recent real life Gurkha campaigner Joanna Lumley as Ab Fab’s Patsy Stone came a close seventh with four per cent.
While her handbag may give a certain former PM’s a run for her money, Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins turned out to be ‘not so perfect in every way’ with just three per cent of the vote, although suave Pierce Brosnan as James Bond fared little better, failing to make 007 status with just 002 per cent in the poll.
Finally despite echoing some uncanny Thatcherite tendencies, in tenth place with one per cent was the unsightly Nanny McPhee, played by the much more appealing Emma Thompson.
The top ten screen Prime Ministerial candidates are:
1. The Doctor (David Tennant) in Doctor Who - 31%
2. M (Judi Dench) in the James Bond series - 25%
3. Obi-Wan Kenobi - Alec Guinness in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope - 11%
4. Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson) in Blackadder - 9%
5. David (Hugh Grant) in Love Actually - 6%
6. Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) in The Damned United - 5%
7. Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) in Absolutely Fabulous - 4%
8. Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) in Mary Poppins - 3%
9. James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) in the James Bond Series - 2%
10. Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) in Nanny McPhee - 1%
Helen Cowley, Editor at LOVEFiLM commented: "David Tennant as The Doctor could certainly have a good go at running the country, who knows what his sonic screwdriver is capable of!
"As the country faces the prospect of a hung parliament, we thought it would be interesting to see who film fans would like to see at Number 10."
Tagged in David Tennant Dame Judi Dench