Peter Capaldi thought he was too old for 'Doctor Who'.
The 56-year-old actor is to make his debut as the titular Time Lord next month but he admits he had given up hope of landing the coveted role as he thought producers would replace predecessor Matt Smith, 31, with an actor similar in age.
Peter told Entertainment Weekly magazine: "I wouldn't have thought I would be the guy. I wouldn't have thought it would be me, because of my age. I would have thought they were automatically heading younger."
He then quipped: "I'm technically too young for the part, because he's over 2,000 years old!"
Executive producer Steven Moffat insists Peter isn't too old for the part because there's "no right age to be the Doctor".
He explained: "I did say, 'No, we probably won't end up with another quirky young man.' I didn't think there was any space around Matt to have another Doctor of that kind, because he sort of sums up what you could do with that. I very, very quickly - very quickly - just thought about Peter."
Peter will be joined on his adventures by Jenna Coleman, reprising her role as Clara Oswald, in the eighth series.
Guest stars include singer Foxes, 'Line of Duty' actress Keeley Hawes and comedian Frank Skinner.

Holly Hagan is to release her first solo single.
The 'Geordie Shore' star has swapped her boozy antics on the infamous MTV reality show for her singing talent by teaming up with dance and music industry giants All Around The World to release a cover of Kelis' 2003 hit 'Milkshake'.
She said: "I never thought I'd have the opportunity to be able to make my own music record, it's like a dream come true."
The 22-year-old star has given the song a more dance floor feel to it and the idea came about after she was partying and heard a Milkshake bootleg featuring 50 Cent and Mary J Blige.
She added: "With this track being 10 years old (I first heard this track when I was 11) I think a lot of young people would never have heard this track. I'm just opening it up to people who have heard it before but also for those hearing it for the first time, it's such a great tune.
"I've always been a fan of the song, and now I've given my own take on it. Since my early teens, I've always loved Clubland, and dance music and so do all my friends. This track is unapologetically Clubland.
"I hope everyone can have a sing and dance along to it, and just have fun, because that is my intention."
Holly is no stranger to singing on camera after previously joining forces with her 'Geordie Shore' co-star Charlotte Crosby to sing a cover of 'City High - What Would You Do' for a YouTube clip.
Holly's 'Milkshake' cover currently appears on 'Clubland 25' but will be released as a single in the coming weeks. The star has also shot the video for the tune: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPQcKlK9CSQ

Kenny Ireland has died aged 68.
The 'Benidorm' actor - who played swinger Donald Stewart in the ITV comedy - passed away today (31.07.14) following a battle with cancer.
The tragic news was confirmed by Scotland's Royal Lyceum Theatre, where Kenny was creative director for over a decade until 2003.
The theatre said in a statement: "We are greatly saddened to learn today that Kenny Ireland, Artistic Director of The Lyceum from 1992-2003 passed away this morning."
Kenny was written out of the upcoming series of 'Benidorm' last month in order to focus on his recovery.
An ITV spokesperson told MailOnline: "We are terribly saddened to hear that Kenny Ireland has passed away, our thoughts are with his family at this time.
"He was a much loved actor, not only by the cast and crew on 'Benidorm' but by the millions of fans out there.
"He appeared as Donald Stewart in 'Benidorm' from the first episode and helped play a huge part in its success. He will be greatly missed."
As well as 'Benidorm', the Scottish star appeared in 'Victoria Wood As Seen on TV', 'Taggart', 'Drop the Dead Donkey' and 'Heartbeat'.

Wesley Snipes would love to make another 'Blade' movie.
The vampire trilogy was one of the 52-year-old actor's most successful endeavours and he's now revealed he's open to the idea of making a fourth instalment.
He told Loaded magazine: "There are a couple of ideas on the table. It's so beautiful that no matter where I go people still ask about Blade 4."
However, he insisted that it would have to be the right script as he wouldn't be comfortable signing up just for the sake of a paycheque.
Wesley explained: "The old fans and the new fans would love it but gotta have the right script with the right people involved. My job is to be fit, skilled and ready when the opportunity comes along but at the same time I'm not just sitting around waiting for something to happen."
Meanwhile, Snipes has joined the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Arnold Schwarzenegger for the upcoming third instalment of action movie franchise 'The Expendables', and he claims fans are in for a treat.
He said: "It's a bigger movie than the first two with all of the bells and whistles that are customary for Sylvester Stallone films. And the actors that have been brought to the table ... I mean we've got some heavyweights in this one."
The new issue of Loaded is on the shelves now. For more info please visit loaded.co.uk.

Harry Shum Jr. is to star in the 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' sequel. The 'Glee' star - who plays the role of Mike Chang on the hit musical TV series - has been added to the cast of the upcoming martial arts drama, according to The Hollywood Repor...

Lorde will curate the soundtrack for 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1'.
The 'Royals' hitmaker - who covered the track 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' for 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' theme tune - will curate the soundtrack and provide the first single for the highly anticipated upcoming third instalment in the franchise.
The movies - which are directed by Francis Lawrence - are based on the novels by Suzanne Collins and star Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark.
Lawrence said of Lorde's involvement in the upcoming movie: "I sat down with Lorde on the set of 'Mockingjay' this spring and I was immediately struck by how she so innately understood what we, as both fans and filmmakers, were trying to accomplish with the film.
"Her immense talent and keen understanding of Mockingjay's characters and themes not only had enabled her to create a song of her own that completely captures the film's essence, but her insight and passion for our project make her the perfect creative force to assembled the other songs on our soundtrack."
Lorde, 17, confessed she was intimidated by the task of putting together the soundtrack for the entire film but admitted that as she was such a big fan she was honoured to be given the opportunity.
She said: "Curating the soundtrack for such a hotly-anticipated film was a challenge, but I jumped at the chance."
'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1' is slated for release on November 21 2014.

Dita Von Teese threw her annual Garden & Arts party on Sunday (27.07.14).
The burlesque dancer was joined by a group of close friends at the Kia Motors Malibu Estate for the daytime bash, and her guests got to enjoy a number of different crafty activities, including candle making, mask making and paper flower construction.
Dita donned an elegant green dress with a red bra visible to match her Louboutin flats, while her partygoers donned fancy dress, with dinosaurs, flowers and cats among the disguises on show.
And as well as taking part in craft classes, the guests were also asked to make a wish in a 'wish-a-saurus' ceremony.
Everyone at the party was asked to write a wish down and place it into a dinosaur-shaped piñata before reading them aloud once it was destroyed.
One partygoer told People magazine: "It was amazing and artistic. Dita was in great spirits."
The 41-year-old beauty - who was previously married to Marilyn Manson and also dated French aristocrat Louis Marie de Castelbajac - recently admitted she has a "uniform" that makes her feel sexy.
She said: "I have a distinctive aesthetic of what I think is sexy, and I have kind of a uniform. It's usually something that shows a little bit of cleavage and possibly has long sleeves. I like to wear long, black, leather upper glove and black long-seamed stocking. I like to have my hemline just below the knee, and I like a perfect Louboutin pump."

Whitney Port won't buy her wedding dress until the "last minute".
The former 'Hills' star says her and fiance Tim Rosenman's wedding plans are going "great" and though she wouldn't say when or where the nuptials will take place, she admitted she hasn't yet bought her outfit for the big day as she fears she would change her mind before making it down the aisle.
She told the New York Daily News newspaper: "I'm waiting until the last minute because I change my mind all the time!"
The 29-year-old beauty- who has her own fashion label, Whitney Eve - has teamed up with Wedding Paper Divas to launch her own range of wedding stationery and she hopes the diverse range of six designs offers something for every bride.
She said: "A wedding is such a personal affair, so I wanted everyone to find something.
"We talked about the different vibes and the wedding that I would want [when designing]."
The collection - which includes save-the-date cards, invitations, RSVP cards and thank you notes - ranges from bohemian poppy designs to floral prints with a flourishing script and some which the designer described as "arty and Aztec-y".
Asked for her favourite design, Whitney said she would choose "elements from all of them" for her own invites, but admitted she mostly preferred the 'Lavish Laurel' range.

Michael Jackson's famous Neverland Ranch is to be sold.
The Santa Barbara property will reportedly be put on the market by Colony Capital - who own a primary stake in the estate - after buying out the late singer's $23 million mortgage to save it from foreclosure in 2008 - in order to recoup the debt they are owed on the house.
A source told RadarOnline.com: "Colony Capital has the legal right to sell the property to pay down the debt they are owed from the loan, interest, management fee and maintenance costs."
The property is worth around $27 million, but insiders believe it could fetch as much as $60 million because of its famous former owner.
Officials from Michael's estate said they are "saddened" by the news of the sale but insist they plan to keep the legacy of the 'Thriller' hitmaker - who died of acute Propofol intoxication in June 2009 - going strong at his other former home.
They said in a statement: "We are saddened at the prospect of the sale of Neverland which, under the agreement negotiated during Michael's lifetime, Colony has the right to sell. The estate will maintain Michael's family home in Encino, including its iconic recording studio there.
"[We will] continue to build upon Michael's legacy as an artistic genius and humanitarian through his music and new projects such as the Michael Jackson ONE show in Las Vegas."
The estate went on to appeal to any buyers of Neverland to respect the "historical importance" of the property.
They added: "We hope and trust that any new owners of Neverland will respect the historical importance and special nature of this wonderful property. Michael's memory lives on in the hearts of his fans worldwide."
And the officials told fans they had "explored" a number of "potential options" for the ranch.
However, they added: "Zoning, financial and land use restrictions limited the alternatives and ultimately Colony made the decision to sell."
A source added: "Efforts were made to keep Neverland, and Michael's estate tried to make it happen. However, they were unable to come to an agreement."
Michael bought the 3,000 acre property in 1988 and lived there until his child molestation trial in 2004.

Wesley Snipes' faith and his family got him through his time in prison.
The 52-year-old actor was jailed for three years in 2010 for tax evasion but was "inspired" by the way "greater" people have got through tough times, as well as his loved ones, wife Nikki Park, their four children and his son from his first marriage.
Asked how he coped in jail, he told Loaded magazine: "First you have your faith in the most high and your spiritual foundation - that's the key to anything no matter what the situation is.
"And then the knowledge that greater men than me have been through worse situations is always an inspiration. Your family's an inspiration."
Wesley - who claims he was the victim of "bad advice" about his taxes - also credited his martial arts training with helping him to cope while he was behind bars.
He explained: "You overcome man, you know? You overcome. Both as an actor and as a martial artist one is trained to deal with adversity and embrace it as an opportunity to improve and see a brighter future for yourself. And you do what they call the shaking time, like when you trim a plant and you cut away all of the dead stuff or when a snake sheds its skin, and you're born anew."
The new issue of Loaded is on the shelves now. For more info please visit loaded.co.uk.

Rihanna showed off her toned figure in a black crop top and white shorts as she arrived at a nightclub in New York City.

Zoe Saldana was ready to sign autographs for the crowd of fans waiting outside the 'Late Show with David Letterman' studios in New York City. The actress happily showed off her growing baby bump in a skin-tight black dress.