Cult
Rex Features
The actor, who plays Donna Noble's grandfather in the current season of Doctor Who, said he was invited to audition for the title role in 1974.
He told The Sun: "When Jon Pertwee was leaving I went to be interviewed with a view to perhaps playing Doctor Who. I would have loved to have done it, I must say.
"We concluded the interview and I went home and didn't get the job, obviously. Tom Baker got it."
The 79-year-old is known to fans of the franchise for his role as Special Constable Tom Campbell in 1966 film Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD.
He first appeared as newsagent Wilfred Mott in the 2007 Christmas special before becoming a cast regular alongside Catherine Tate in the fourth season.
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