David Suchet wants Napoleon role

Rex Features

Actor David Suchet has said that he would love to play French leader Napoleon Bonaparte.

Speaking backstage at the International Emmys, the Poirot star said: "I do have one dream character but I think I might be a little old to play him now. I wanted to play Napoleon."

Suchet won the Best Actor gong at the New York ceremony for his appearance in biography series Maxwell.

"I did actually have hesitations [about taking the part] because Robert Maxwell was six foot three and 22 stone, and as you can see, I'm five foot seven-and-a-half and I am a little man," he said.