Death in Paradise's Ben Miller reveals Doctor Who role he missed out on

"I'm not bitter."

By Iona Rowan

9 Nov 2022

ben miller attends the paddington 2 premiere at bfi southbank on november 5, 2017 in london, england

Stuart C. WilsonGetty Images

Death in Paradise star Ben Miller has revealed which Doctor Who role he missed out on- and it just so happens to be *the* role.

While the actor rose to fame as one half of the comedic duo Armstrong and Miller and is known for his role as DI Richard Poole in Death in Paradise, he was nearly cast as the Time Lord.

Appearing on The One Show last night (November 8), Miller told host Alex Jones: "I would have loved to have been Doctor Who. I was once approached and asked if I would be interested in being Doctor Who, this is going back a few years, and I said: 'Yes, I would be interested.'

"At which point, I never heard anything else ever again. And Doctor Who became more and more successful without me."

ben miller as the sheriff of nottingham, doctor who

BBC

He did go on to play a villain in 2014 opposite Peter Capaldi's doctor, though, so there are no hard feelings.

"I'm not bitter, because I did get to play the Sheriff of Nottingham in the episode 'Robot of Sherwood'," he said.

The doctor may not be on the cards for Miller, but he is set to star in a new festive film premiering on Sky Cinema this December.

alfred enoch and kaya scodelario, this christmas

Vertigo Films

This Christmas follows Adam (Alfred Enoch) and Emma (Kaya Scodelario) as they journey to London each day and encounter the same commuters. But one morning, Adam decides to strike up a conversation with the strangers and suggests they throw their own Christmas party.

The stacked cast also includes Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner), Jeremy Irvine (Mamma Mia), Alexandra Roach (Killing Eve) and Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso).

This Christmas will be released on Sky Cinema in December. Death in Paradise season 12 will premiere in January 2023.

Doctor Who returns in 2023 on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Meanwhile, in the US, the show airs on BBC America, with series 1-12 available on HBO Max. Classic Doctor Who streams on BritBox in the UK.