We’re afraid we have some bad news for anyone excited by those “Doctor Hugh” rumours…
Earlier this month, Bafta-winning actor Hugh Grant was tipped to be in the running to take over from Jodie Whittaker when she stepped down as the lead in Doctor Who – and fans had a lot of thoughts about it.
However, we’re disappointed to report that the Notting Hill star has now taken himself out of the running for the role.
Setting the record straight on his Twitter account on Monday night, Hugh insisted he had “nothing against” Doctor Who, but that he wouldn’t be replacing Jodie as the next Time Lord.
“No idea where the story came from,” he added.
Doctor Who devotees will know that Hugh previously played the Doctor in a one-off 1999 Comic Relief parody back when the series was on hiatus.
Hugh was later offered the lead role when the sci-fi show was revived in 2005 but turned it down, with the part going to Christopher Eccleston.
In a 2007 interview, the star admitted he regretted turning down the role and had been in talks to appear on the show as a new villain, although this never materialised.
He said (via Digital Spy): “I was offered the role of the Doctor a few years back and was highly flattered. The danger with those things is that it’s only when you see it on screen that you think, ‘Damn, that was good, why did I say no?’ But then, knowing me, I’d probably make a mess of it.”
The news that former showrunner Russell T Davies would be making a return to Doctor Who led many to speculate that It’s A Sin star Olly Alexander would be taking over the Tardis, though he too has ruled himself out.
Other names rumoured to be in the frame include It’s A Sin star Lydia West – who Jodie also named as her pick to land the role – and T’Nia Miller, who previously worked with Russell T Davies on Cucumber, Banana and Years And Years.
In an interview with The Guardian in December, Russell insisted that no decisions have been made about the casting.
“We have genuinely not cast anyone yet. We’re just starting auditions,” he said.