If there’s one thing David Tennant knows not to do during his upcoming British Academy Film Awards hosting gig, it’s diss on Taylor Swift.
Speaking to Variety ahead of the BAFTAs on February 19, the Doctor Who star, 52, says he has ‘learned’ not to speak on the pop star after Jo Koy’s Golden Globes jab backfired.
“I’m just there to hold it all together,” the actor said, claiming that since he’s not a comic he has “slight cover” and is “not really expected to be good at any of that stuff.”
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“And don’t diss Tay Tay, I think is the lesson to be learned. I live in a house of Taylor Swift fans, so I know better.”
Tennant’s comments come after comedian Jo Koy’s jab at Taylor Swift’s NFL appearances during his 2024 Golden Globes monologue were met with backlash.
The comedian joked about the singer’s regular screen time while attending NFL games to support her beau Travis Kelce.
“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift… I swear, there’s just more to go to,” Koy said.
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But as the camera panned to Swift, she didn’t look amused. The singer didn’t laugh at the ‘joke’, proceeding to take a pointed sip of her drink.
After the negative reaction to his joke about the Cruel Summer singer, Koy defended the comment on GMA3: What You Need to Know as being aimed “more on the NFL”.
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“I was trying to make fun of the NFL using cutaways and how the Globes didn’t have to do that. So it was more of a jab toward the NFL. But it just didn’t come out that way.”
The comedian admitted that the joke was “weird” and fell ‘”a little flat”.
However, not all mentions of Swift in award ceremony monologues have been met with negative reactions from the singer and fans online.
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Most recently at the 2024 Grammy Awards, the Enchanted singer reacted positively to host Trevor Noah‘s joke about NFL fans.
“I think it’s so unfair how NFL fans have been complaining about the cameras cutting to Taylor Swift,” Noah raised to the audience.
“Like, she’s controlling the cameras at the game. Just let her live. Let her live.”
“Tonight, on Taylor’s behalf, you know what I’m gonna do? I’m gonna give her a break. Every time they mention Taylor Swift, I’m going to get revenge,” Noah continued.
“Every time someone says Taylor Swift, I’m going to cut the cameras to someone who played football. Cut, bam!,” he said as the camera panned to Terry Crews.
“You like that, Terry Crews? You better fix your face, Terry!” Noah joked as Swift clearly found the humour in the moment, caught on camera laughing.