David Tennant reveals he’s been told he looks like Muswell Hill killer Dennis Nilsen

David Tennant has revealed that he has often been told he looks like Muswell Hill killer Dennis Nilsen, who he is set to portray in ITV’s new drama Des.

The Broadchurch actor, 49, added that his resemblance to Nilsen could be why he was keen to play him on screen in a new interview with The Radio Times. 

He said: ‘It’s always the kind of thing that people would point out, so maybe that was one of the reasons why I thought, “Maybe there’s a story to tell”.’

Lookalike: David Tennant has revealed that people have often told him he looks similar to serial killer Dennis Nilsen who he is set to portray in new ITV drama Des (pictured in character)

David also revealed that in preparation for the role, he watched footage of Nilsen and tried to read as much of his writings as possible to accurately portray the killer. 

The star explained how it wasn’t too difficult to get hold of information as Nilsen ‘wrote and wrote and wrote in prison’.   

However the actor was determined not to glorify the real life story, instead focussing on trying to show an audience what is known about Nilsen.

He said: ‘What we didn’t want to do is titillate or turn Des into a horror movie. That is not the kind of story we are trying to tell. What we are doing is trying to figure out who this creature was.

Transformation: David Tennant is back on TV screens this month, playing serial killer Dennis Nilsen in ITV's new drama Des, which airs from September 14

Known as the Muswell Hill Murderer Nilsen killed 12 men between 1978 and 1983

Transformation: New pictures from the show, which starts on September 14, show David in his role (left) bearing a striking resemblance to murderer (right) who killed 12 men

‘We can never really understand Nilsen’s point of view so we have to come to it through Jay [Detective Peter Jay, played by Daniel Mays] and Brian Masters. They both view him through very different lenses.’

David also revealed how his interest in Nilsen peaked when he read Brian Masters’s book Killing for Company while living in Crouch End.

The area of London is very close to where the murders happened in Muswell Hill, with David saying: ‘It was nearby and the Nilsen story was almost local folklore.’

Writer Masters also spoke with The Radio Times, revealing that he wrote to Nilsen while the killer was in prison.

New role: The Doctor Who star spoke candidly about his new role and how he prepared to play Nilsen in the latest edition of The Radio Times

New role: The Doctor Who star spoke candidly about his new role and how he prepared to play Nilsen in the latest edition of The Radio Times

To his amazement, he received a reply which read: ‘Dear Mr Masters, I pass the burden of my life and actions onto your shoulders. Thank you very much.’   

Ahead of the anticipated drama, new photos were released of the Doctor Who star transformed into the murderer who killed 12 men between 1978 and 1983.

Speaking to press David admitted he was ‘relieved’ the notorious killer, who died in prison on 12 May 2018 at the age of 72, was no longer alive to see his performance and be ‘smugly pleased he was on television.’  

The new photos from episode one show David as Nilsen talking to Brian Masters, played by Jason Watkins, who conducted a number of interviews with the killer.  

Getting ready: David also revealed that in preparation for the role (pictured during epiosde one), he watched footage of Nilsen and tried to read as much of his writings as possible to accurately portray the killer

Getting ready: David also revealed that in preparation for the role (pictured during epiosde one), he watched footage of Nilsen and tried to read as much of his writings as possible to accurately portray the killer 

All star cast: The new photos from episode one show David as Nilsen talking to Brian Masters, played by Jason Watkins, who conducted a number of interviews with the killer

All star cast: The new photos from episode one show David as Nilsen talking to Brian Masters, played by Jason Watkins, who conducted a number of interviews with the killer

Written by Luke Neal, Des is based on material from Killing For Company, which included conversations with twisted Nilsen, whose nickname was Des.  

The murders all took place in the two North London addresses in which former civil servant Nilsen resided between 1978 and 1983. 

Alongside Tennant, Des also stars Jason Watkins (Line of Duty), Daniel Mays (White Lines), Chanel Cresswell (This is England), Barry Ward (White Lines) and Ron Cook (Mr Selfridge).   

Nilsen was alive when the show first went into production in 2018 but died before the three-part series, which took five years to complete, could be aired – a fact David said he was ‘relieved’ about. 

‘After he was arrested, Dennis Nilsen became obsessed with what was the legend of ‘Des’ – the reputation that he left behind. Whenever he slipped out public consciousness, there was almost a sense that he wanted to get back into it. That’s why I’m relieved he’s not alive,’ Tennant said, according to the Radio Times. 

Starring role: Daniel Mays plays Detective Peter Jay in the three-part drama and is shown meeting the press to appeal to the public to come forward with information on the killer

Starring role: Daniel Mays plays Detective Peter Jay in the three-part drama and is shown meeting the press to appeal to the public to come forward with information on the killer

Controversial: Jason Watkins stars as Brian Masters who conducted a number of interviews with the killer. Speaking with The Radio Times, Masters said he wrote to Nilsen in prison

Controversial: Jason Watkins stars as Brian Masters who conducted a number of interviews with the killer. Speaking with The Radio Times, Masters said he wrote to Nilsen in prison

‘I would hate for this to go out and for him to be sitting in some cell somewhere imaging we were in any way glorifying him. I’m sure he would have complained about we said and everything we did. At the same time, he would have been rather smugly pleased he was on television.’

Writer Luke Neal explained that in order to portray the killer responsibly, he decided no actual murders would be shown on screen. The drama instead is set shortly before Nilsen’s arrest in February 1983.  

Described as a loner, Nilsen became known as the Muswell Hill Murderer, as he committed his later murders in the Muswell Hill district of North London.   

Most of Nilsen’s victims were homosexual or homeless men who he would pick up in bars across London or on the street.

After inviting them to his home, Nilsen would ply his victims with food and alcohol before killing them. His preferred method was strangulation.

Died in prison: Nielsen was alive when the show first went into production in 2018 but died before the three-part series could be aired, a fact David said he was 'relieved' about

Died in prison: Nielsen was alive when the show first went into production in 2018 but died before the three-part series could be aired, a fact David said he was ‘relieved’ about

Shocking: Nilsen was convicted of six counts of murder and two of attempted murder and jailed for life in 1983 (pictured leaving Highgate Magistrates Court in 1983)

Shocking: Nilsen was convicted of six counts of murder and two of attempted murder and jailed for life in 1983 (pictured leaving Highgate Magistrates Court in 1983)

Once dead, he dismembered their bodies by dissecting them in his house. In his first address, Melrose Avenue, he buried their remains in the garden. In Cranley Gardens however he was forced to take other measures.  

Once arrested he told police how he boiled the heads of his victims in a large cooking pot to dispose of their brains.

He would cut up the rest of their bodies and store them in plastic bin bags at the property. When the stench of their rotting corpses became stronger, he tried to flush their limbs down the toilet and drains.

This caused a large blockage in the pipes. Seemingly oblivious to risk, Nilsen audaciously complained to a waste company about the blockage and asked for it to be resolved because he and other residents were suffering as a result.

Real life:  Des is based on material from Killing For Company, which included conversations with twisted Nilson, whose nickname was Des (David Tennant is pictured in character)

Real life:  Des is based on material from Killing For Company, which included conversations with twisted Nilson, whose nickname was Des (David Tennant is pictured in character)

When a Dyno-Rod worker arrived at the property in 1983 to unblock them, he discovered what appeared to be flesh and fragments of bone when he opened a drain cover outside the property.

The following day, after inspecting another section of pipe, he and his supervisor discovered what they thought were bones of a human hand. 

They alerted police who arrested Nilsen as he returned home from work. While in custody he admitted to killing at least 15 people.   

Nilsen was convicted of six counts of murder and two of attempted murder and jailed for life in 1983, with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 25 years.     

He died in prison on 12 May 2018 at the age of 72.  Des is coming to ITV Monday 14th September.

Murders: Speaking about the pressure of playing Nilsen, Tennant (pictured in character) said: 'We are telling a story that is still within living memory, so there are members of the victims' families who are still devastated'

Murders: Speaking about the pressure of playing Nilsen, Tennant (pictured in character) said: ‘We are telling a story that is still within living memory, so there are members of the victims’ families who are still devastated’