Kylie Minogue took some time out on the set of Doctor Who to comfort star David Tennant over the death of his mother from cancer.

The Australian pop star, who is filming a Doctor Who Christmas special with Tennant, told her co-star she understood what he was going through.

"I know how you are feeling," The Sun newspaper quoted Minogue, who had her own battle with breast cancer, as saying.

Tennant's mother Helen McDonald died earlier this month aged 67.

"Kylie was really sympathetic," one on-set source told the newspaper.

"She knows how terrible cancer is and she took a lot of care to comfort David.

"David's mother's funeral was only a few days ago and he is understandably upset.

"He needed sympathy on his return to work - and Kylie gave him that."

Minogue, 39, is starring as a waitress aboard the Titanic who needs rescuing by the time lord in a special episode of the cult British science-fiction series entitled Voyage of the Damned.