Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Anthony Head, Giles in Buffy: Could he be the next Doctor?

Buffy man tops ’next Dr Who’ poll

Buffy star Anthony Head has said he is "flattered" to be voted as favourite to play the next Dr Who in a Radio Times readers’ poll. Head, who played Giles in the cult US TV hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, beat actor Alan Rickman into second place.

Comic stars Stephen Fry and Alan Davies were in third and fourth place, with actor Ian Richardson in fifth.

Hit BBC sci-fi series Dr Who is coming back to TV after a 14-year absence and is in the early stages of development.

Head told the Radio Times: "I’m in very good company - good God, I beat Alan Rickman."

"I suppose I would be a logical choice to play the Doctor just because Giles, my character in Buffy, has the same light and dark sides and quirkiness as Doctor Who," he added.

I just want to make him the best character ever

Writer Russell T Davies

The Radio Times is marking the 40th anniversary of the show

"My own favourite was Patrick Troughton because you never knew what was going on inside his Doctor," he said.

No clues as to who will play the latest incarnation of the Doctor have been given.

The magazine also interviewed Queer as Folk writer Russell T Davies, who will script the new version of the 40-year-old series.

"As a freelance scriptwriter, I first sounded out the BBC about writing it in 1998. I’ve worked for ITV since then, but every time I’ve had a meeting with the BBC I’ve talked about it," he said.

The Radio Times is marking the 40th anniversary of the show

He said it was "hard to say" how the new Doctor would be portrayed.

"I just want to make him the best character ever. He should be so fascinating, he’s radioactive. He’s funny, clever, wild and fast. Your best friend times 500," he said.

Mr Davie said there were "copyright issues" in bringing back previous monsters, but that he wanted "one or two moments of old arch-enemies" in the new series.

The Radio Times also polled readers on their favourite Time Lord, with fourth Doctor Tom Baker beating the previous incarnation, played by Jon Pertwee.

"The readers’ vote is very pleasing and reassuring. I was lucky because all my stuff was in colour, the scripts were coming along, the effects were getting more refined, the sets didn’t fall over so often," Baker said.

The poll also voted the Cybermen - the emotionless villains introduced for first Doctor William Hartnell’s last story - as their favourite villain. The poll ban banned fans from voting for number one enemy the Daleks.