3. Bill Nighy Is... The Ninth Doctor! (2004, or 2005?)
It's certainly a fact that Nighy auditioned for the Ninth Doctor, along with Christopher Eccleston and one other as-yet-unknown name - rumours range from the plausible (David Suchet), to the wildly ambitious (Gary Oldman). Nighy was even named as having won the part by a tabloid newspaper on the same day Eccleston was announced to the world. Nighy has admitted recently he turned the role down when it was offered to him, as well as once revealing in the past he had spoken to his wife at the time, Diane Quick, who wanted to know if he was going to be offered the role. If you think about this, the two story don't necessarily conflict with each other. In theory, he could have been in the running for the Ninth Doctor before Eccleston; or perhaps he lost the role first time around, only to be offered the Tenth Doctor before Tennant was, once it was clear Eccleston wasn't returning. However, as to exactly when this casting might have occurred is still up for debate as Nighy politely, and rightly, refuses to say when he declined the part. A fascinating, mysterious near-miss.