Biography for
Paul McGann (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

14 November 1959, Liverpool, England, UK

Height

5' 8" (1.73 m)

Spouse

Annie Milner

(1992 - present) (separated) 2 children

Trivia

He is the younger brother of Joe McGann and the elder brother of Mark McGann and Stephen McGann.

Became the Official 8th Doctor Who in 1996, which he still continues to play today in Audio Adventures.

Was originally cast as the lead in the ITV's "Sharpe" series of television movies but broke his leg playing football a few days into the shooting of Sharpe's Rifles (1993) (TV) in the Ukraine. He was replaced in the role by Sean Bean, who starred not only in Sharpe's Rifles (1993) (TV) but the other thirteen films as well. Bean's replacement of McGann triggered the largest insurance settlement in British television history...a value of £2,128,172.

Replaced Sylvester McCoy as "Doctor Who" and, in 2004, it was announced he would be succeeded in the role by Christopher Eccleston.

Was considered as a replacement for Michael Praed when Praed left the TV series "Robin Hood" (1984), but lost to Jason Connery.

Narrates the audio book versions of several of Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe's" novels.

Involved, along with Sherilyn Fenn, Kate Winslet, Rufus Sewell and Miranda Richardson in the 1998 film project "Johnny Hit and Run Pauline". The film was to be executive produced by Emma Thompson, and written and directed by Fay Efrosini Lellios. The shooting was set to start in June 1998 in New Hampshire. The film was canceled due to financial withdrawal. [1998]

Personal Quotes

I don't want to be remembered as the George Lazenby of Doctor Who. (Referring to his single performance as "The Doctor" in the 1996 TV movie revival of the British series.)

Careers are what they are, they don't make any sense at all when you look back. We're not in charge of them.

I filled a CV in for something, for publicity purposes, only last week and I left Doctor Who (1996) (TV) off. I only say that because there were times when I don't need to mention it, or perhaps, well, let's be brutally honest, it's not so cool to mention it. It depends who I'm talking to. Sometimes it's the first thing I mention. It depends, it just depends. Because it takes all sorts.

Never having been a "Doctor Who" (1963) fan as a child; other than seeing them, I was never committed to them, and I'm still surprised year in, year out, at the involvement, the fervour, the zeal that the fans, the adherents, the people who are making the stories, and all these references, all this history, I'm still surprised at how complex and important it is.

I'm not a sci-fi lover, I wasn't from the start. So perhaps I miss that passion for other worlds, other dimensions, that sort of scope and that magnitude of storytelling, that's not my thing though I meet plenty of people whose thing it definitely is. Mine is more Earthbound than that; I prefer fiction, stories, things that are maybe rooted in our collective traits, simple, human, what makes us tick as human beings; I love a good novel.

Where Are They Now

(2005) Living in Clifton, Bristol, UK.