An odd bit of 'Doctor Who' trivia surfaced this weekend, that comic legend Billy Connolly was nearly tapped to play the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 one-off TV movie. Paul McGann wound up with the role instead. Scottish paper the Daily Record reported that a 'Doctor Who' historian named Alex Westthorp learned that the BBC had him on a "short list" after seeing him opposite Dame Judi Dench in 'Mrs. Brown.'

Apparently, no one at the BBC told Connolly. When TV Squad spoke with The Big Yin Tuesday, he said he had only heard that morning about the possibility he'd be tapped for the role. "That never reached as far as me," he said. "As a matter of fact, my manager told me that this morning. He read it in the newspaper and was amazed. It didn't get as far as him. These were just discussions at BBC I think."

Even if they had asked, it wasn't a slam dunk he'd take it. Connolly said he'd have considered the role, but only if they made changes. He didn't think much of the original incarnation of the show, mostly based on the production value and the villains.

"I used to think it very shabby, with shaky scenery and not credible bad guys," he said. "One of them looked like a caterpillar with horns. And those Daleks, [effects the Daleks' synthetic vibrato] 'Annihilate! Annihilate!' This is an enemy that can't go upstairs! All you've got to do is go upstairs to run away from a Dalek.

Connolly noted he thought the current run, which started in 2005, is better executed. "It's leapt into a different orbit altogether," he said.

Connolly's name came up when David Tennant announced he was leaving the show and former Doctor Sylvester McCoy said he'd like to see Connolly as a Time Lord, but the role of the Eleventh Doctor instead went to Matt Smith, who began his run April 17.