Alan Cumming Was Offered Doctor Who Role More Than Once

Doctor Who nearly had a very different Doctor on two separate casting occasions.

Alan Cumming, formerly of The Good Wife fame, says he was offered the role of the Doctor on more than one occasion. The first time was when Russell T. Davies was running the show.

Cumming was told that he would have to return to the United Kingdom for the role – he was performing on Broadway in New York City at the time – which wasn’t a problem. However, Cumming assumed he’d be staying in London. When he learned he’d have to spend eight months of the year filming in Cardiff, that changed everything.

“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…” Cumming remarked.

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When it came time to recast the Doctor following David Tennant’s exit, Cumming was approached again, this time by Mark Gatiss. Cardiff again stood in the way.

“He had heard of this [previous discussion], and he said, ‘Would you like to be Doctor Who now?’ I said, ‘Fine, I’d love to, but they [previously] 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.”

Doctor Who is about to cast a new Doctor, so perhaps Cumming will be approached again. Then again, they do still film in Cardiff.

Next: Doctor Who Showrunner Says Peter Capaldi’s Regeneration Will Be Something Different

Capaldi took over as The Doctor in Season 8, after Matt Smith’s departure. After three seasons, he will depart the show alongside showrunner Steven Moffat, who has steered the series since Season 5. Moffat was a breakout writer during the Russell T. Davies seasons of Doctor Who.

Moffat will be handing the reins over to Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall for Doctor Who Season 11. Chibnall is a longtime Doctor Who fans who also wrote for the series during the Russell T. Davies era and was head writer on the Doctor Who spinoff series Torchwood.

Doctor Who Season 10 also introduces Pearl Mackie as the new companion, Bill Potts, replacing the previous companion, Jenna Coleman’s Clara Oswald, who left after Season 9. Whether she will join the new Doctor in Doctor Who Season 11 is still unknown

Doctor Who Season 10 is currently airing Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on BBC America.