If the U.S. has "Star Trek" and "Star Wars," then the U.K. has "Doctor Who." The sci-fi series has been running in one form or another since 1963. The titular character of the show is The Doctor, an unnamed and alien "Time Lord" who travels the universe in his time-traveling ship and regenerates every few years with the face and personality of a different actor.
Playing the role of The Doctor is considered a high honor in British thespian circles. Back in 2004, the franchise was gearing up for a triumphant return to television with a fresh doctor and a massive new budget. In 2018, the showrunner of that era of "Doctor Who," Russell T. Davies, revealed that the main role on the show could have been Grant's for the taking. "I have always wanted to work with Hugh Grant," Davies told BBC. "Always. I literally offered him Doctor Who in 2004."
"I told him that," Davies continued, "and he was like 'really?!' He knew nothing about that. I love him. I think he's one of Britain's finest actors." Still, while fans never got to see Grant take on the role in the official series, the actor did play a version of the 12th Doctor in "The Curse of Fatal Death," a Comic Relief special, written by future "Doctor Who" showrunner Steven Moffat.
