Paul McGann Denies ‘Doctor Who’ Tie-In Movies

“I’ve heard as well, yeah I’ve heard," McGann told SyFy Portal's Alan Stanley Blair during the recent Collectormania convention in Glasgow, Scotland. "Well they haven’t called me, but often you hear it first through rumor. But you know … yeah I’d go back and do it … as long as I don’t have to wear a wig."

According to the original rumors, BBC considered re-launching the show through a series of tele-movies based on the 1996 movie that was produced in conjunction with the American Fox network. If the tie-in project was to go ahead, the standalone stories would have bridged the gap between the classic "Doctor Who" years with the current series, and it would've do so without any known villains.

McGann told fans at the event that his time as The Doctor simply kept the franchise warm following the cancellation in 1989 with something new to keep the fans interested. And that interest is perhaps one of the reasons the series has been such a success. But to him, the main reason the show is doing so well is because of actor David Tennant.

"It’s come back because of that handsome floppy-haired bastard," McGann later joked. "I really really like him. I think he’s brilliant. And what’s more, he is a huge ‘Doctor Who’ fan and so he’s really passionate about it. I should be honest with you; I was never a huge fan. I watched a few things and ‘Doctor Who’ was one of them but I wasn’t completely passionate about it. But for David Tennant, it’s like the job of jobs to him.

"You know, if they never gave him another job, just that one, he’d be perfectly happy for all his life. You know it’s in good hands with him and he’s a wonderful actor."

Despite his high opinion of Tennant, McGann admitted that his original impression of him as an actor was slightly different, but when he was cast as The Doctor that opinion changed completely.

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