8 Famous Actors Who Were Almost In Doctor Who

4. Helen Mirren

The announcement of a new Doctor is always preceded by a flurry of fevered frenzy and, back in 2013, as the nation eagerly awaited Peter Capaldi's reveal as the twelfth incarnation of TV's favourite Time Lord, Dame Helen Mirren added fuel to the fire by claiming that it was "absolutely time" for the BBC to choose a female for the coveted role. A comment like that was always going to create a stir and Helen subsequently became the hot favourite to take on one of the most sought after roles in Britain (and this is the actress who once played the Queen, which is saying something!) as she revealed she was "so sick of that man and his female sidekick". Blimey, Helen. Tell us what you really think, why don't you? As it turns out, though, the BBC didn't quite agree that a change to the tradition was in order and the Academy Award winner promptly responded by revealing that it was no big deal because she never wanted to be the Doctor anyway. So there you go. She did come close to leaving her mark on the Whoniverse back in 2008, however, when she was offered the guest role of Lady Eddison in the Series 4 murder mystery The Unicorn and the Wasp. Spoilers: She turned it down and it went to Felicity Kendal instead.