Former "Doctor Who" actor David Tennant criticized U.K. Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, during his acceptance speech at the British LGBT Awards. Tennant expressed disappointment in having to receive an award for supporting LGBTQ rights, calling it common sense. He urged Badenoch to "shut up" and hoped for a world where she didn't exist. Badenoch defended herself on social media, accusing Tennant of being blinded by ideology. J.K. Rowling and Martina Navratilova also criticized Tennant for his remarks. The clash comes amidst the General Election, with tensions rising over the Tories' pledge to protect biological sex as a characteristic under the Equality Act. British lawmakers condemned Tennant's comments, with PM Rushi Sunak emphasizing the importance of freedom of speech and Home Secretary James Cleverly calling for an apology. Labour leader Keir Starmer stressed the need for respectful disagreement. The incident has sparked debate over Tennant's political involvement in the media.