When Russell T Davies announced that in 2004 that Christopher Eccleston had been cast in the revival of beloved sci-fi show Doctor Who, fans had no idea that the eponymous time-travelling hero could have looked very different.

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Davies recently confirmed that he had originally offered the part to the Notting Hill and A Very English Scandal star - but that the offer never got past Grant's agent.

But Grant isn't the only star to to have almost nabbed the iconic lead role. From theatre veteran Brian Blessed to Bernard Cribbins - who went on to play Donna Noble's (Catherine Tate) grandfather - there's no shortage of actors who almost regenerated into the Time Lord.

Find out below the seven actors who almost played Doctor Who.

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Create an image depicting a festive scene with elements from the top Christmas songs, such as a snowy New York for 'Fairytale of New York', a cozy home setting for 'Last Christmas', and a glamorous Christmas party for 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'. Include musical notes and festive decorations to represent the spirit of these iconic Christmas songs.

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An image depicting a festive scene with iconic Christmas elements such as a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with twinkling lights, snow gently falling, and perhaps a cozy fireplace in the background. The image should capture the essence of popular Christmas songs, with musical notes and lyrics subtly included in the design, representing a playlist of classic Christmas tunes.

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Immediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live events

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