Izzard doubtful on Who

Comedian and actor Eddie Izzard has given BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat his reaction to those rumours about him being cast as the next TV Doctor.

At the start of October, Tom Baker was insisting that the role was Izzard's for the taking. Well, Izzard, currently in New York on the American leg of a five-month tour of his stand-up show, appears to have been blissfully unaware of the rumours - until Newsbeat's Andy Gallacher caught up with him.

Izzard's reaction was "Tom Baker threw my name up which was fantastic, it's a wonderful honour. I hadn't considered it, I didn't even know (the series) was happening, and I don't think the BBC would want me. They'd probably rather spit on me and slap me about with fish."

Izzard seems to have assumed that being given the part of the Doctor would entail committing to a lengthy shooting schedule. He explained: "I'm really into doing my films, and so 26 weeks is a big commitment. There are other people that are up for it that everyone else wants. I'm slightly more on the edge. I think the BBC would say 'Well we want someone simpler and safer.'"

With his fake boobs making a prominent impression on his stand-up audiences, Izzard concluded "I think my breasts are too dangerous."

Click the link on the right for the Newsbeat story.