Matt Smith has revealed that he almost turned down the role of the Doctor.
Speaking to Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young, Smith said he had a ‘wobble’ after being told he has been chosen to be David Tennant’s successor.
He said:
“I was like, ‘I don’t think I’m going to do it. My agent said, ‘You’re going to do it.'”
Fortunately for us, he had a very persuasive agent. Smith took on the role in 2010 and stayed until 2014 when he as replaced by Peter Capaldi. During that time, he had some very strange encounters with fans. Describing Doctor Who’s fans as a ‘good bunch’ he went on to share one encounter when he was shown a tattoo of his own face, opposite that of David Tennant’s on a woman’s inner thigh.
He said:
“I said what on earth does your boyfriend think? But he was there and he was smiling away.”

Smith also went on to discuss the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, whom he described as a ‘brilliant choice’.
He elaborated:
“The show relies on big, broad, creative brushstrokes. It’s brilliant, it’s high time and she’ll be sensational.”
Smith went on to say that he had given her no specific advice other than ‘listen to no one’ and that the role, with it’s demands both physical and mental could be an ordeal.
You can listen to the whole interview plus find out which tracks Smith chose by heading to BBC Radio Four.