Actor Alan Cumming Reveals He Was Twice Approached To Become The Doctor

Scottish actor Alan Cumming has revealed that he’s twice been approached to take on the Doctor Who lead role, once during the Russell T. Davies era and once more recently.

Cumming, who is currently starring in The Good Wife, didn’t reveal when exactly he was approached to become the Doctor, but did reveal that discussions he had were with “that lovely Welshman” indicating he was under consideration either for the Ninth Doctor, a role eventually taken by Christopher Eccleston, or the Tenth Doctor, a role taken by David Tennant.

Speaking as part of an interview for Listowel Writers’ Week in Ireland, Alan said talks were progressing well until he was informed he would have to return to Britain for the role:

“I said, ‘Sure, I still have a flat in London, it’d be perfect.’ But… Then he said, ‘It’s eight months of the year in Cardiff…” And I said, ‘What?’ And I think that might have been what blew it. Nothing against Cardiff, but…”

The role of the Tenth Doctor was offered to David Tennant without an audition being held for the role, Tennant being the first and allegedly only choice. Hugh Grant was famously in-line for the role of the Ninth Doctor, expressing his regret once he saw how the show turned out, a fact which is perhaps suggestive that Cumming was also under serious consideration to become the Doctor on the show’s 2005 return.

Cumming also revealed that he was approached again more recently, this time by writer Mark Gatiss:

“He had heard of this, and he said, ‘Would you like to be Doctor Who now?’ I said, ‘Fine, I’d love to, but they told me I’d have to go to Cardiff for eight months of the year ‘ and he said, ‘Oh no, you’d still have to do that.’ …I’d do anything for Doctor Who, but I won’t do that.”

Speculation is mounting meanwhile as to who will get the nod to replace current incumbent Peter Capaldi with names such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Kris Marshall, Richard Ayoade, Natalie Dormer, Luke Treadaway and Sacha Dhawan all being linked with the role.

Doctor Who will return this Saturday at 7:15pm on BBC One in the UK and airs on BBC America at 9/8 Central.