While speculation abounds as to who will replace Peter Capaldi on Doctor Who, a big-name actor has revealed he was asked not once but twice to play the role of the beloved Time Lord.

In a recent interview for Listowel Writers’ Week in Ireland, X-Men and The Good Wife star Alan Cumming revealed he was approached for the role of the Doctor during the Russell T Davies era of Doctor Who (so maybe before Christopher Eccleston or David Tennant was cast), but that there was one major hurdle he just simply couldn’t overcome.

Here’s what Cumming said when he was told he would have to return to live in Britain for filming:

“I said, ‘Sure, I still have a flat in London, it’d be perfect.’ But… “Then he said, ‘It’s eight months of the year in Cardiff…” And I said, ‘What?’ And I think that might have been what blew it. Nothing against Cardiff, but…”

The New York-based actor and Broadway star was more recently approached for the role again when he met with frequent Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss:

“He had heard of this [previous discussion], and he said, ‘Would you like to be Doctor Who now?’ I said, ‘Fine, I’d love to, but they [previously] told me I’d have to go to Cardiff for eight months of the year ‘ and he said, ‘Oh no, you’d still have to do that.’ I’d do anything for Doctor Who, but I won’t do that.”

There you have it. Do you think Alan Cumming would have made for a great Doctor? Have you hedged your bets on the person who will replace Peter Capaldi in the TARDIS, and wear the bigger-on-the-inside shoes of the 13th Doctor?

(via Huffpost)