Doctor Who: 10 Actors Who Came Very Close To Playing The Doctor

4. Anthony Head

Anthony Head was an established cult icon before he joined the coveted ranks of Doctor Who guest stars (he played the malevolent Mr Finch in 2006's School Reunion) but back in the 1990s he was approached to play the show's leading Time Lord himself. The actor was in the running to portray the Eighth Doctor in the US reboot (but, let's face it, who wasn't?!) and he would've been the perfect man for the job owing to the fact that he was already known and loved within the realms of formidable fantasy franchises for his portrayal of Buffy's mentor Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Alas, it just wasn't to be, but he has since managed to leave his mark on the mythology in more ways than one. As well as his aforementioned appearance in Series 2, he used to narrate Doctor Who Confidential and his voice can also be heard in tie-in adventures including the 2007 animated adventure The Infinite Quest and Big Finish's Excelis mini-series. See, you don't have to be a senior resident of the TARDIS to leave a lasting impression on the Doctor Who legacy after all. Although it certainly helps.