Thursday 1 October 2009

Paul McGann not hopeful of reunion


Former Doctor Who star Paul McGann has revealed he has given up hope of taking part in a rumoured reunion of actors who have played the Time Lord.
He said he had no expectations of ever returning to the role and claimed he has had no contact with the BBC since he left the set of a one-off TV movie in 1996 in which he made his only appearance.
There have been reports that the past Who actors were being rounded up for a Children In need special, but McGann doubted he would ever return to the role: "It's highly unlikely, because since I walked off that set in 1996, no one's ever called me, I've never met these people, I've never been down to Cardiff and met what's his face, Russell T Davies (who masterminded Doctor Who's revival)."
He added: "So no, maybe haven't they got my number. There's always rumours, it's nice to stoke the fire. I'm always hearing them."
McGann also revealed he was sick of fans coming up and quoting famous lines to him from cult comedy Withnail And I in which he starred.
More than 20 years after the film's release, McGann said he did not mind talking about the film, but he had grown tired of hearing about "thumbs going weird", "the finest wines available to humanity" and "going on holiday by mistake".
"Withnail gets a little bit tiresome when people start playing the scenes out," he said.
McGann is starring in a new ITV drama, Collision.
[Thanks to Gavin Parfitt for the link]