Martin Clunes was originally approached to be the new Doctor Who, reports The Mirror.
The Men Behaving Badly star, who made his TV debut in an 1983 episode of the show, had reportedly agreed to appear in last month's Christmas special, but the deal collapsed four days before filming was scheduled to begin.
An insider revealed that Who bosses had hoped that Clunes's role in the special episode could have led to his replacing former Doctor David Tennant permanently.
"Producers wanted Martin to take over Tennant’s job full-time and were desperate to see him in the Christmas episode," said a source. "They saw it as a trial for the main job but they found the whole casting process very frustrating.
"Talent comes at a price and the show could simply not afford Martin. It’s a shame as he would have been perfect."
David Morrissey was eventually cast in the Christmas special which saw the Doctor coming face-to-face with a future version of himself.
"It was a bit of a scramble to get David Morrissey but he did a brilliant job and was also considered as a contender to replace Tennant. But the man they really wanted was Clunes," the source added.
Last night, Clunes's agent said that he had been approached to appear in the Christmas special but denied that he had dropped out in a dispute over cash.
A Doctor Who spokesperson said: "We don't comment on casting."
26-year-old Matt Smith was announced as Tennant's replacement last month.
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