W1A creator hails David Tennant’s “ludicrous” narration – and teases “very different” Twenty Twenty Six

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John Morton, the creator of shows like W1A and Twenty Twelve, has spoken highly of David Tennant’s performances in those sitcoms. He also hinted at Tennant’s very welcome return for the upcoming series, Twenty Twenty Six.

I absolutely love Hugh Bonneville as Ian Fletcher! He plays this top executive who constantly gets himself into the most ridiculous messes, usually because of the people he works with and his own attempts to look out for number one. It’s a hilarious trilogy of shows, and his performance is brilliant.

The show portrays Ian’s life as if it’s a real documentary, but it’s actually a comedy. David Tennant narrates, using his serious voice to describe some very silly situations.

I was revisiting the brilliant workplace comedy W1A recently, especially after it landed a spot in TopMob’s poll for the greatest British sitcom – seriously, go vote! It got me thinking about David Tennant’s performance, and how incredibly subtle and effective it was. He didn’t try to be funny, and that’s exactly what made it so hilarious. It’s a masterclass in understated comedy, and really elevates the whole show.

Writing the narration is actually simpler than dealing with the show’s quick, rambling dialogue – it’s full of unnecessary words and people talking over each other. However, David Tennant’s performance makes the narration just as impactful and unforgettable.

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Morton described him as incredibly talented. He explained that the man has a perfect sense of timing and knows how to deliver a line for maximum impact. If he tries to make a ridiculous statement as a joke, it falls flat, but if he delivers it completely straight-faced, it lands perfectly.

David has a knack for delivering absurd lines in a way that lets the humor come through naturally, without drawing attention to it. It’s a subtle skill he pulls off remarkably well.

David Tennant will once again be the narrator for the new series, Twenty Twenty Six. The show follows Ian, who moves from a position promoting ethics at the BBC to a role overseeing integrity for a major international football tournament.

Coincidentally, the sitcom happens to be releasing just prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to Morton, David Tennant finished recording his voice work for Twenty Twenty Six late last year. He confirmed that Tennant still has his signature comedic timing and talent.

He’s still wonderful – really charming and fast on his feet,” he said. “I often don’t realize until the very end of the show just how important he is to the whole musical experience. We’re incredibly thankful for David.

Morton also said he “admired” the cast of W1A, whom he required to learn very detailed scripts. Even a small mistake, he explained, could ruin everything.

He recalls finishing one of those drawn-out meetings by telling the team, ‘The frustrating part is that the final result will seem easy, and nobody will realize all the hard work you put in.’

I’m really excited about this opportunity because it lets me express how much I admire everyone involved – they’re all my heroes.

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Seeing David Tennant, Olivia Bonneville, and Hugh Skinner (who played Will in Fleabag) back on screen will likely feel familiar to fans of their previous shows, even though this new series features a mostly new cast, setting, and storyline.

Morton explained that the new show needs to be immediately engaging because many viewers won’t be familiar with the earlier installments. Ultimately, he hopes Twenty Twenty Six will be even better than the previous two shows.

Creating a TV show is incredibly challenging. Considering how much it will consume your life and cause stress, you really hope the final product is an improvement over your previous work, he explained.

Morton will leave it up to viewers to decide whether he scored that particular goal.

Keep an eye out for Twenty Twenty Six, coming soon to BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. You can currently watch Twenty Twelve and W1A on iPlayer.

Don’t miss out! Add ‘W1A’ to your watchlist on the TopMob ‘What to Watch’ app. Download it today for daily TV suggestions, articles, and more.

Authors

David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig writes about TV dramas and comedies for TopMob, keeping fans up-to-date on the newest and best shows. Before TopMob, he wrote for Starburst Magazine, hosted the podcast ‘The Winter King’ for ITVX, and earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Sheffield.

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2026-02-25 17:37