Doctor Who star Michael Troughton reveals whether he would play Second Doctor on-screen

Doctor Who star Michael Troughton has ruled out the idea of playing the Second Doctor on screen.

The actor, who is Patrick Troughton's son, took over playing the character for Big Finish's audio adventures in 2022, following his father's death in 1987.

Michael has already joined the Whoniverse on-screen in the 2014 Christmas special Last Christmas, in which he played Professor Albert Smithe.

However, when asked by Radio Times whether he'd return to the show to play the Second Doctor on screen, Michael said: "On the screen? I'm too old and fat now, aren't I?!

"No, I don't think so. I love playing the role for audio, but no. The Doctor goes on, and I don't think we want to see me playing it... I don't think I'd consider it."

Most recently, Troughton starred in the Big Finish audio adventure The Haunted Windmill, which he described as having "very clever writing".

"There comes a point in the story when the crew have almost been caught by the Time Lords and the only way to avoid being caught – Raven (Emma Noakes) comes up with this idea – is to go into a completely different timeline, so that we slip into this timeline that is Earth, but as if the Doctor hadn't ever been there," he teased.

"This whole new strange Earth is almost like the old Earth, but is not, and there are all slightly different things that have happened, and different histories and different names, and people pop up that are relatives of very well-known characters, and I just think that's such a clever idea. What a great way to escape."

Doctor Who – The Second Doctor Adventures: The Haunted Windmill is available to buy on Big Finish. Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.