Editing Paul McGann

{{Short description|English actor (born 1959)}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Paul McGann
| image              = Paul McGann 2015.jpg
| caption            = McGann at the 2015 [[Florida Supercon]]
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1959|11|14}}
| birth_place        = [[Kensington, Liverpool]], England
| known_for          = Eighth incarnation of the Doctor in ''[[Doctor Who]]''
| occupation         = Actor
| years_active       = 1982–present
| education          = [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
| spouse             = {{marriage|Annie Milner|1992}}
| partner            = [[Susannah Harker]] (2006–2008)
| children           = {{flatlist|
* [[Joseph McGann]]
* [[Jake McGann]]
}}
| relatives          = {{ubl|[[Joe McGann]] (brother)|[[Mark McGann]] (brother)|[[Stephen McGann]] (brother)|[[Heidi Thomas]] (sister-in-law)}}
}}

'''Paul John McGann''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|ɡ|æ|n}} {{respell|mə|GAN}};<ref>As pronounced by McGann in his [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLUZQWQOvG4&t=04s 2009 Talksport interview].</ref> born 14 November 1959) is an English actor. He came to prominence for portraying [[Percy Toplis]] in the television serial ''[[The Monocled Mutineer]]'' (1986), then starred in the dark comedy ''[[Withnail and I]]'' (1987), which was a critical success and developed a cult following. McGann later became more widely known for portraying the [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]] of [[The Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]] in the 1996 television film ''[[Doctor Who (film)|Doctor Who]]'', and its [[List of Doctor Who audio plays by Big Finish|audio drama continuations]]. He is also known for playing Lieutenant William Bush in the TV series ''[[Hornblower (TV series)|Hornblower]]'' (1998–2003).

==Early life==
Paul John McGann was born in [[Liverpool]] on 14 November 1959,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.filmreference.com/film/37/Paul-McGann.html |title=Paul McGann Biography (1959–) |work=filmreference.com |year=2014 |access-date=8 September 2014}}</ref> into a [[Roman Catholic]] family. His ancestors immigrated from [[Ireland]] in the mid-19th century, having left due to the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Great Famine]].<ref name="indepie">{{cite interview| first =Paul |last =McGann |url= http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/actor-paul-mcgann-enters-his-second-act-29453891.html | title=Actor Paul McGann enters his second act |work=Irish Independent  |interviewer-first =Emily|interviewer-last =Hourican|date = 29 July 2013  |access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://drwhointerviews.wordpress.com/tag/paul-mcgann/ |title=Paul McGann &#124; Doctor Who Interview Archive |publisher=Drwhointerviews.wordpress.com |date=25 August 2009 |access-date=25 June 2013}}</ref> His mother, Clare, was a teacher, and his father Joe, a soldier on [[Gold Beach]] during [[Normandy landings|D-Day]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGann |first=Paul |title=D-Day: The Tide Turns "8. Suicide Squad" |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/03xmS57TB8Cipwy9CApI8K?si=D1A_g-bCSjO41lOlcwbFnw |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=D-Day: The Tide Turns}}</ref> who died in 1984, was a [[metallurgist]].<ref name="Titanic">{{Cite web|last=Shennan|first=Paddy|date=30 July 2017|title=Surviving famine, the Titanic and D-Day - the amazing story of the McGanns|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/surviving-famine-titanic-d-day-13406784|access-date=19 March 2021|website=Liverpool Echo|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Blood">{{Cite web|last=Dwyer|first=Ciara|date=21 August 2017|title=McGann: 'I have their blood in my veins - but I own my story'|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/mcgann-i-have-their-blood-in-my-veins-but-i-own-my-story-36046761.html|access-date=19 March 2021|website=Independent Ireland|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/37/Paul-McGann.html |title=Paul McGann Biography (1959–) |publisher=Filmreference.com |date=14 November 1959 |access-date=10 October 2012}}</ref> His cousin, Ritchie Routledge, was in the 1960s band [[The Cryin' Shames]].<ref name=livecho2014>{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=Catherine|title=Liverpool actor Paul McGann talks about his 30-year stage and screen career ahead of Club Geek Chic In Conversation appearance at St George's Hall|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-actor-paul-mcgann-talks-3354175|work=[[Liverpool Echo]]|date=8 May 2013}}</ref> He has an older brother, [[Joe McGann|Joe]], and three younger siblings: brothers [[Mark McGann|Mark]] and [[Stephen McGann|Stephen]] and sister Clare.<ref name="Titanic" /><ref name="Blood" /> All three of his brothers are also actors and the four of them played brothers in the 1995 TV serial ''[[The Hanging Gale]]''. That same year, McGann also played [[Grigori Potemkin]] in the television film ''Catherine the Great'' alongside Mark and Stephen.

McGann attended [[Cardinal Allen Grammar School]] in the Liverpool suburb of [[West Derby]]. He was 17 and working in a shoe shop when he acted on the advice of one of his teachers and successfully auditioned for a place on the acting course at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]].<ref name=livecho2014/> In 1980, the Principal of RADA, [[Hugh Cruttwell]], selected a scene from an adaptation of [[William Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Macbeth]]'', which McGann co-wrote with [[Bruce Payne]], to be performed in front of [[Queen Elizabeth II]] in one of her rare visits to the academy. [[Kenneth Branagh]] performed a soliloquy from ''[[Hamlet]]'' at the same event.<ref>The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1980) ''An Entertainment'', 19 November 1980 programme, GBS Theatre: London.</ref>

==Career==
===Early work and breakthrough===
McGann's breakthrough role was in ''[[Give Us a Break (TV series)|Give Us a Break]]'', devised by [[Geoff McQueen]], McGann played a good snooker player who got into scrapes with [[Robert Lindsay (actor)|Robert Lindsay]], who played his wideboy manager. The series was a comedy drama in the vein of the popular ITV series of the time, ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]''. The series only lasted for one season and it was concluded by a one-off special. His first major dramatic role was the [[British people|British]] [[World War I]] deserter and criminal [[Percy Toplis]] in the 1986 [[BBC]] serial ''[[The Monocled Mutineer]]''. The film was based on the 1978 book of the same name, written by William Alison and [[John Fairley]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/aug/03/paul-mcgann-actor|title=Portrait of the artist: Paul McGann, actor|last=Barnett|first=Laura|date=August 3, 2009|website=The Guardian|access-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref>

The serial garnered controversy from British right-wing media,<ref name=badsey>{{cite book|last=Badsey|first=Stephen| title=The Media and International Security|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2000|pages=83–84|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fKtBLkjm83AC|isbn=0-7146-4848-5}}</ref> though McGann's performance garnered acclaim.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/feb/29/next-box-set-monocled-mutineer |title=Your next box set: The Monocled Mutineer|website=The Guardian|date=29 February 2012 |access-date=18 March 2023 |last1=Hogan |first1=Michael }}</ref> In 1986, he was cast as the anonymous main character (Marwood) in [[Bruce Robinson (writer)|Bruce Robinson]]'s [[cult film]], ''[[Withnail and I]]''. He also starred as Anton Skrebensky in [[Ken Russell]]'s 1989 adaptation of [[D. H. Lawrence]]'s ''[[The Rainbow]]''. McGann's other early film appearances include ''[[The Monk (1990 film)|The Monk]]'', ''[[Dealers (film)|Dealers]]'', ''[[Tree of Hands]]'' and the epic war film ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]''. McGann and other young British actors who were becoming established film actors such as [[Tim Roth]], [[Gary Oldman]], [[Colin Firth]] and [[Bruce Payne]] were dubbed the '[[Brit Pack (actors)|Brit Pack]]'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brucepayne.de/press/articles/facearticle1987.html |title=The Brit Pack |publisher=Brucepayne.de |access-date=10 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OXRBBAAAQBAJ&dq=bruce+payne+brit+pack&pg=PA198 |first=Alan |last=Kistler |title=Doctor Who: A History |year=2013 |access-date=20 November 2021 |page=198 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9781493000166}}</ref>

Since 1989, McGann has concentrated primarily on television work, including ''Nice Town'' and ''[[Nature Boy]]'' for the BBC, and ''[[The One That Got Away (1996 film)|The One That Got Away]]'' and the second series of ''[[Hornblower (TV series)|Hornblower]]'' for [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]. However, he has had small roles in a number of high-profile American films like ''[[The Three Musketeers (1993 film)|The Three Musketeers]]'' and ''[[Alien 3]]''. His role in ''Alien 3'' was originally larger, but much of it was edited out of the final print. The cut footage can be seen in the extended version of the film.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

In 1992, he was cast as [[Richard Sharpe (fictional character)|Richard Sharpe]], the lead character in the [[Sharpe (TV series)|Sharpe]] series of made-for-TV films based on [[Bernard Cornwell]]'s novels. However, he injured his knee while playing football just days into filming ''[[Sharpe's Rifles (TV programme)|Sharpe's Rifles]]'' in [[Ukraine]] and was replaced by [[Sean Bean]] in the role.

===''Doctor Who''===
McGann played the [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]] of [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]], in the ''[[Doctor Who (film)|Doctor Who]]'' 1996 television film. The television film also starred [[Eric Roberts]], [[Daphne Ashbrook]] and featured the outgoing [[Seventh Doctor]], [[Sylvester McCoy]].  McGann's brother, [[Mark McGann]], also auditioned for the title role.<ref name="2010archive">{{cite web |title=The Changing Face of Doctor Who - How the BBC recast TV's Time Lord |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/changingwho/10303.shtml?page=16 |website=BBC Archive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416181521/https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/changingwho/10303.shtml?page=16 |archive-date=16 April 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The ''Doctor Who'' television film was a joint venture between the BBC, [[Universal Pictures|Universal Studios]] and the [[Fox Broadcasting Network]].  McGann had signed a contract to appear as the Eighth Doctor in a new ''Doctor Who'' television series, if Fox or Universal exercised their option.  Thus, the television film was supposed to be a "[[Backdoor pilots|back door pilot]]" in that, if it obtained respectable ratings, the new series would continue to be produced. The film was shown on 14 May 1996 in the US and on 27 May 1996 in the UK. Although it had 9.08&nbsp;million viewers and was very successful in the UK, ratings were very low in the United States. As a consequence, Fox did not exercise its option to pick up the series and Universal could not find another network interested in airing a new ''Doctor Who'' series.  Thus no new series was produced until 2005, after all the contractual rights had returned to the BBC.
[[File:Paul McGann.JPG|thumb|McGann in March 2007|240x240px]]
McGann gave permission for his likeness to be used on the covers of the BBC's [[Eighth Doctor Adventures|Eighth Doctor novel]] and he has reprised the role of the Eighth Doctor in an extensive series of audio plays by [[Big Finish Productions]]. A number of these plays have also been broadcast on [[BBC Radio 4 Extra|BBC Radio 7]] (later BBC Radio 4 Extra).

After months of speculation, on 14 November 2013 (coincidentally McGann's birthday), as part of the show's 50th Anniversary celebrations, McGann finally reprised his role as the Eighth Doctor, in the mini-episode "[[The Night of the Doctor]]". In this appearance his incarnation of the Doctor finally regenerates, 17 years after his first television appearance, into a [[War Doctor|previously unknown Doctor]] played by [[John Hurt]]. Additionally, McGann briefly appeared in the anniversary comedy homage ''[[The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot]]''.<ref>"[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03lv3mj The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot]", BBC programmes, retrieved 26 November 2013.</ref>

He made his first appearance on the main television series in a cameo in the 2022 special "[[The Power of the Doctor]]", alongside other past Doctors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Belam |first=Martin |date=2022-10-23 |title=Jodie Whittaker exits Doctor Who with surprise regeneration twist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/oct/23/jodie-whittaker-david-tennant-ncuti-gatwa-doctor-who-power-of-the-doctor-bbc-centenary-special |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jeffery |first=Morgan |date=2022-10-23 |title=Doctor Who brings back classic Doctors for centenary special |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-classic-doctors-centenary-newsupdate/ |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Radio Times |language=en}}</ref> He also featured in the documentary film ''[[Doctor Who Am I]]'', supporting TV movie director [[Matthew Jacobs]]' embrace of the [[Doctor Who fandom]] and its conventions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Astley |first=Sabastian |date=2022-10-27 |title=Paul McGann: 'I thought Doctor Who was finished - and I was responsible' |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/paul-mcgann-doctor-who-am-i-big-rt-interview/ |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=Radio Times |language=en}}</ref>

===Later career===
In the years following his appearance as the Doctor, McGann continued to diversify his acting portfolio with the television and film roles he accepted.  In 1997 he appeared as a concerned father in the film ''[[FairyTale: A True Story]]'' and later that same year as Rob in ''[[Downtime (film)|Downtime]]'', then in 1998 he appeared as Capt. Greville in ''The Dance of Shiva''.
[[File:Paul McGann (15390819173) (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|267x267px|McGann at the 2014 [[Phoenix Fan Fusion|Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest]]]]
In the 2000s McGann's film appearances began to increase with films like ''[[My Kingdom (film)|My Kingdom]]'' (2001), ''Listening'' (2003) and ''Gypo'' (2005). Perhaps his most iconic role since ''Doctor Who'' came in 2002, when McGann appeared in the film adaptation of the third story from [[Anne Rice]]'s ''[[The Vampire Chronicles]]'', ''[[Queen of the Damned (film)|Queen of the Damned]]''. McGann played the part of [[David Talbot (The Vampire Chronicles)|David Talbot]], a member of the secret organisation the [[Talamasca]], which researches and investigates the supernatural. Talbot has appeared in many of Rice's novels and has become a central character over the years. The film also starred [[Stuart Townsend]], [[Marguerite Moreau]] and R&B singer [[Aaliyah]]. McGann has also been in demand for [[voice-over]] work in Britain in recent years, particularly on television documentaries and commercials.

He also gained acclaim for his portrayal of William Bush in the final four instalments of the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]/[[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]] television series ''[[Hornblower (TV series)|Hornblower]]'', based on the [[Horatio Hornblower]] books by [[C.S. Forrester]]. He initially appears in the 2001 episode "Mutiny", with Bush being the 2nd Lieutenant of HMS ''Renown'' (and Hornblower's superior). In the 7th episode, "Loyalty", he agrees to join Hornblower as his 1st Lieutenant when Hornblower takes command of HMS ''Hotspur''. McGann again portrays Bush in the 2003 finale of the series, "Duty".

In 2006, he appeared in the television drama ''[[Tripping Over]]''. In 2007, McGann starred alongside [[Dervla Kirwan]], [[Lorraine Ashbourne]] and [[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]] in BBC One drama ''[[True Dare Kiss]]'', written by Debbie Horsfield. In 2010, McGann played a major role in a feature-length episode of long-running BBC mystery series ''[[Jonathan Creek]]'', as well as appearing as a regular in the crime drama ''[[Luther (TV series)|Luther]]''. In 2011, McGann played a major role as an Assistant Commissioner with something to hide in the final episode of ''[[Waking the Dead (TV series)|Waking the Dead]]'' and also featured in [[Simon Gray]]'s ''Butley'' alongside [[Dominic West]] at the [[Duchess Theatre]] in London.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/feb/20/dominic-west-play-butley-revival |title=Dominic West to revive classic stage role |work=The Guardian|access-date=4 May 2011|location=London|first=Vanessa|last=Thorpe|date=20 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Bishop|first1=Caroline|title=Paul McGann|url=http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/backstage-pass/article/item116528/paul-mcgann/|website=Official London Theatre|date=29 June 2011}}</ref>

In 2017, McGann joined the cast of the long-running BBC series ''[[Holby City]]'', playing neurosurgeon [[John Gaskell]]. In 2021, he hosted the British Podcast Awards Gold-winning [[Noiser]] podcast production ''Real Dictators'', a history show about the up to date facts on dictators of the past.

===Audio books and voice work===
McGann is also known for [[audiobook]] narration having read several [[Pat Barker]] and [[Bernard Cornwell]] novels. He narrated the abridged audiobook of [[Jeff Noon]]'s 1993 cyberpunk classic ''[[Vurt]]''.

McGann continues to play the Eighth Doctor on audio. McGann's first Big Finish audio play appearance was in 2001 in the story ''[[Storm Warning (Doctor Who audio)|Storm Warning]]''. It was through the Big Finish audio plays that McGann's Doctor faced many classic ''Doctor Who'' villains like the [[Daleks]] (in various different audio plays, the first of which being ''[[The Time of the Daleks]]'') and the [[Cybermen]] (first encountered by the Eighth Doctor on audio in ''[[Sword of Orion]]'').

Five Eighth Doctor dramas were broadcast in [[BBC 7]]'s ''[[The 7th Dimension]]'' slot between August 2005 and January 2006. They were in release order, starting with ''Storm Warning'', although ''[[Minuet in Hell]]'' was judged unsuitable for the timeslot, and skipped. Two more Eighth Doctor audios, ''[[Shada (Doctor Who)|Shada]]'' and ''[[The Chimes of Midnight]],'' were broadcast in December 2005 and January 2006. All six of these stories were rebroadcast on BBC7 beginning in July 2006. In 2007 and 2008, a series of audio plays starring McGann as the Eighth Doctor and [[Sheridan Smith]] as companion [[Lucie Miller]] was broadcast on BBC7.
[[File:Paul McGann in 2017 (cropped).jpg|thumb|McGann in May 2017|200x200px]]
His voice featured in the 1997 video game ''[[Ceremony of Innocence]]'', together with those of [[Isabella Rossellini]] and [[Ben Kingsley]].

After hearing him sing in ''[[The Monocled Mutineer]],'' composer [[Bernard J. Taylor]] invited McGann to create the role of Benedict in the concept studio recording of the ''[[Much Ado (musical)|Much Ado]]'', a musical based on [[Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]''.

McGann portrayed Ambassador Durian in ''[[The Minister of Chance]]'', a fantasy audio drama released in six parts from 2011 to 2013. The series is a spin-off of the ''Doctor Who'' audio drama ''[[Death Comes to Time]]'', but has no official connection to the franchise. In February 2014, a crowdfunded short film based on the first instalment of ''The Minister of Chance'' was released to those who had helped fund it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pilot for Unofficial Doctor Who Spin-off: Minister of Chance |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-minister-of-chance/29306/pilot-for-unofficial-doctor-who-spin-off-minister-of-chance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301222603/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-minister-of-chance/29306/pilot-for-unofficial-doctor-who-spin-off-minister-of-chance |archive-date=2014-03-01 |access-date=2024-08-16}}</ref>

McGann portrays antagonist Noah Shackleton in the audio drama adaptation of ''[[The Phoenix Files]]''. The Australian production is the largest audio drama ever produced in Australia with a cast of 42 actors. McGann appears in all three instalments of the science-fiction dystopian thriller series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.preachrspodcast.net/Preachrs_Podcast_-_OnLine_and_OnStage/The_Phoenix_Files.html|title=The Phoenix Files|website=Preachrs Podcast|access-date=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510152354/http://www.preachrspodcast.net/Preachrs_Podcast_-_OnLine_and_OnStage/The_Phoenix_Files.html|archive-date=10 May 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

McGann has done audio narration for BBC documentaries, including the 2014 BBC Scotland production, ''Apples, Pears and Paint: How to Make a Still Life Painting''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03ny8wk|title=Apples, Pears and Paint: How to Make a Still Life Painting|website=BBC Four|access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref>

McGann is chief narrator in the popular ''A short history of…'' podcast series, which explores various historical topics in easily accessible episodes.

==Personal life==
In 1992, McGann married Annie Milner. They had two children: music producer [[Joseph McGann|Joseph]] and voice actor [[Jake McGann|Jake]].

Between 2006 and 2008, McGann was in a relationship with actress [[Susannah Harker]].

==Acting credits==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year!!Title!!Role!!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1987 || ''[[Withnail and I]]'' || "I" ||
|-
| ''[[Empire of the Sun (film)|Empire of the Sun]]'' || Lt. Price ||
|-
| rowspan=4 | 1989 || ''[[Tree of Hands]]'' || Barry ||
|-
| ''Streets of Yesterday'' || Yosef Raz ||
|-
| ''[[The Rainbow (1989 film)|The Rainbow]]'' || Anton Skrebensky ||
|-
| ''[[Dealers (film)|Dealers]]'' || Daniel Pascoe ||
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1990 || ''[[The Monk (1990 film)|The Monk]]'' || Father Lorenzo Rojas ||
|-
| ''[[Paper Mask]]'' || Matthew Harris ||
|-
| 1991 || ''[[Afraid of the Dark]]'' || Tony Dalton ||
|-
| 1992 || ''[[Alien 3]]'' || Golic ||
|-
| 1993 || ''[[The Three Musketeers (1993 film)|The Three Musketeers]]'' || Girard / Jussac ||
|-
| 1995 || ''[[Catherine the Great (1995 film)|Catherine the Great]]'' || [[Grigory Potyomkin]] ||
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1997 || ''[[FairyTale: A True Story]]'' || Arthur Wright ||
|-
| ''[[Downtime (film)|Downtime]]'' || Rob ||
|-
|1998
|''The Dance of Shiva''
|Capt. Greville
|Short film
|-
| 2001 || ''[[My Kingdom (film)|My Kingdom]]'' || Dean ||
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Queen of the Damned (film)|Queen of the Damned]]'' || [[David Talbot (The Vampire Chronicles)|David Talbot]] ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2003 || ''[[Listening (2003 film)|Listening]]'' || The Man || Short film
|-
|''[[Y Mabinogi|Otherworld]]'' || King [[Matholwch]] || Voice role
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Gypo (film)|Gypo]]'' || Paul ||
|-
|2006
|''Poppies'' || Tony Hudson ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |2007
|''Always Crashing in the Same Car''
|Bill Mackinnon
|Short film
|-
| ''Voice from Afar'' || Actor ||
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Lesbian Vampire Killers]]'' || Vicar ||
|-
|2010 || ''Godard & Others'' || Torrence ||
|-
|2011 || ''[[Moving Target (2011 film)|Moving Target]]'' || Mr. Johnson ||
|-
|2012
|''Notes from the Underground'' || Photographer ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |2013 || ''Art Is...''|| Lulu's Dad ||
|-
|''A Little Place Off the Edgware Road''
|James Craven
| rowspan="3" |Short film
|-
| 2014 || ''[[The Minister of Chance]]'' || Ambassador Durian 
|-
|2015
|''Absence''
|Man
|-
|rowspan=2|2016 || ''Brakes'' || Peter ||
|-
|''[[Letters from Baghdad]]'' || Henry Cadogan || Voice role
|-
| rowspan="2" |2017 || ''B&B'' || Josh ||
|-
|''Perplexed Music''
|Man
| rowspan="2" |Short film
|-
|2021
|''Swallow Your Dreams''
|James
|-
| rowspan="2" |2023
|''Mia and the Dragon Princess''
|Walsh
|-
|[[The Undertaker (2023 British film)|''The Undertaker'']]
|Arthur Morel
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year!!Title!!Role!!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|1982
|''[[Play For Today]]'' || Norman || ''Whistling Wally''
|-
|1983
|''Gaskin''
|Graham Gaskin
|TV film
|-
| 1983–1984 ||''[[Give Us a Break (TV series)|Give Us a Break]]'' || Mo Morris || 8 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1986 || ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest]]'' || [[John Worthing]]||TV film
|-
| ''[[The Monocled Mutineer]]'' || [[Percy Toplis]] || 4 episodes
|-
| 1990 || ''[[Screen Two]]'' || Colin || Episode: "Drowning in the Shallow End"
|-
| 1992 || ''Nice Town'' || Joe Thompson || 3 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" |1995
|''[[Catherine the Great (1995 film)|Catherine the Great]]''
|[[Grigory Potyomkin]]
|TV film
|-
|  ''[[The Hanging Gale]]'' || Liam Phelan || 4 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" |1996
|''[[Doctor Who (film)|Doctor Who]]''
|[[Eighth Doctor]]
| rowspan="3" |TV film
|-
|''[[The One That Got Away (1996 film)|The One That Got Away]]''
|[[Chris Ryan]]
|-
|''[[The Merchant of Venice]]''
|[[Bassanio]]
|-
| 1998 || ''[[Our Mutual Friend (1998 TV serial)|Our Mutual Friend]]'' || Eugene Wrayburn || 4 episodes
|-
| 1999 || ''[[Forgotten (TV series)|Forgotten]]'' || Ben Turner || 3 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2000 || ''Nature Boy'' || Steve Witton || 4 episodes
|-
| ''[[Fish (British TV series)|Fish]]'' || Jonathan Vishnevski || 6 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2001 || ''Hotel!'' || Ben Carter ||TV film
|-
| ''[[Sweet Revenge (British TV series)|Sweet Revenge]]'' || Patrick Vine || 2 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2002 || ''[[Blood Strangers]]'' || DC David Ingram || 2 episodes
|-
| ''The Biographer'' || [[Andrew Morton (writer)|Andrew Morton]] ||TV film
|-
| 2001–2003 ||''[[Hornblower (TV series)|Hornblower]]'' || Lieutenant Bush || 4 episodes
|-
| 2003 || ''[[Agatha Christie's Poirot]]'' || Dr. Peter Lord || Episode: "Sad Cypress"
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Lie with Me (2004 TV series)|Lie With Me]]'' || Gerry Henson || 2 episodes
|-
| 2005 || ''[[Kidnapped (2005 TV series)|Kidnapped]]'' || Colonel MacNab || 2 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2005 || ''[[Fables of Forgotten Things]]'' || Clarence ||TV short film
|-
| ''[[Agatha Christie's Marple]]'' || Dickie Erskine || Episode: "Sleeping Murder"
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2006 || ''[[Tripping Over]]'' || Jeremy || 6 episodes
|-
| ''[[Sea of Souls]]'' || Christopher Chambers || Episode: "Rebound"
|-
|''[[If I Had You (film)|If I Had You]]''
|Philip Andrews
|TV film
|-
| 2007 || ''[[True Dare Kiss]]'' || Nash McKinnon || 6 episodes
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Collision (TV series)|Collision]]'' || Richard Reeves || 5 episodes
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Jonathan Creek]]'' || Hugo Doré || Episode: "The Judas Tree"
|-
| 2010–2011, 2019 ||''[[Luther (TV series)|Luther]]'' || Mark North || 10 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2011 || ''[[Waking the Dead (TV series)|Waking the Dead]]'' || ACC Tony Nicholson || Episodes: "Waterloo", Parts 1 & 2
|-
| ''[[New Tricks]]'' || DCI James Larson || Episode: "Object of Desire"
|-
| rowspan="2" |2012
|''[[Titanic|Save Our Souls: The Titanic Inquiry]]''
|[[Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading|Sir Rufus Isaacs]]
|TV film
|-
| ''[[A Mother's Son]]'' || David || 2 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2013 || ''[[Ripper Street]]'' || Stanley J. Bone || Episode: "The Good of This City"
|-
| ''[[Moving On (TV series)|Moving On]]'' || Phil || Episode: "Blood Ties"
|-
| 2013, 2022 || ''[[Doctor Who]]'' || [[Eighth Doctor]] || Episodes: "[[The Night of the Doctor]]" (minisode) & "[[The Power of the Doctor]]" (cameo)
|-
| 2013 || ''[[The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot]]'' || Self || TV film
|-
| 2014 || ''[[The Bletchley Circle]]'' || John Richards || Episode: "Blood on Their Hands: Part 1"
|-
| rowspan="2" |2016
|''Moving On''
|{{N/a|None}}
|Directed episodes "Passengers" and "Zero"
|-
| ''[[The Musketeers]]'' || St. Pierre || Episode: "The Queen's Diamonds"
|-
| 2017–2018 || ''[[Holby City]]'' || [[John Gaskell]] || 40 episodes
|-
| 2021, 2023 || ''[[Annika (2021 TV series)|Annika]]'' || Dr. Jake Strathearn || 6 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2022 || ''[[Anne (British TV series)|Anne]]'' || Sir [[Malcolm Thornton]] || Episode: #1.2
|-
| ''[[McDonald & Dodds]]'' || Archie Addington || Episode: "A Billion Beats"
|-
| 2024 || ''[[Bookish (TV series)|Bookish]]'' || Mr Kind || 2 episodes
|}

===Stage===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1984-5
|''[[Loot (play)|Loot]]''
|Dennis
|[[Ambassadors Theatre (London)|Ambassadors Theatre]] and [[Lyric Theatre, London|Lyric Theatre]]  
|-
|1987
|''[[A Lie of the Mind]]''
|Frankie
|[[Royal Court Theatre]]
|-
|1995
|''Father and Son: Son and Father''
|
|New Vic, Bristol
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Much Ado About Nothing]]'' || [[Dogberry]] || Horseshoe, Basingstoke
|-
| 1997 || ''[[Loot (play)|Loot]]'' || Dennis || [[Ambassadors Theatre (London)|Ambassadors]]
|-
| 1998 || ''[[The Seagull]]'' || Constantine || rowspan="2" | [[Royal Court Theatre]]
|-
| 1999 || ''[[A Lie of the Mind]]'' || Frankie
|-
| 2003 || '' The Little Black Book'' || Jean-Jaques || [[Riverside Studios]]
|-
|2003-4
| ''[[Mourning Becomes Electra]]'' || Captain Adam Brant || [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]]
|-
| 2005 || ''[[The Gigli Concert]]'' || Jimmy || [[Finborough Theatre]]
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Helen (play)|Helen]]'' || [[Menelaus]] || [[Shakespeare's Globe]]
|- 
| 2011 || ''[[Butley (play)|Butley]]'' || Reg || [[Duchess Theatre]]
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Major Barbara]]'' || Undershaft || [[Abbey Theatre]]
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Three Sisters (play)|Three Sisters]]'' || Alexander Vershinin || [[Southwark Playhouse]]
|-
| 2017 || ''Gabriel'' || Von Pfunz || Theatre 6
|-
| 2022 || ''The Forest'' || Man 2 || [[Hampstead Theatre]]
|-
|2024|| ''The River''|| The Man|| Greenwich Theatre
|}

===Narration===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year!!Title!!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
| 2004 || ''[[That'll Teach 'Em]]''|| Series 2 (5 episodes)
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2005 || ''[[Zero Hour (2004 TV series)|Zero Hour]]'' || Series 2
|-
| ''Ghosts on the Underground'' || 
|-
|2006–2007
|''[[Real Crime]]''
|Series 5–6
|-
| 2011 || ''[[Codebreaker (2011 film)|Britain's Greatest Codebreaker]]'' || 
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2013 || ''Wildest Latin America'' || "Wildest Islands Vancouver Islands: Rivers of Life"
|-
| ''Extraordinary People: The Boy with the Incredible Brain'' || 
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2014 || ''Apples, Pears and Paint: How to Make a Still Life Painting'' || 
|-
| ''[[List of Natural World episodes#Series 33|France: The Wild Side]]'' || 
|-
| ''Cosmonauts: How Russia Won the Space Race'' <ref name="bbc">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04lcxms|publisher=bbc.co.uk|title=BBC Four - Cosmonauts: How Russia Won the Space Race|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref> ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2015 || ''Shark'' <ref name="bbc2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02n7s0d|publisher=bbc.co.uk|title=BBC One - Shark|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref> ||
|-
| ''Hunt for the Arctic Ghost Ship'' <ref name="Channel 4">{{cite news|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/55b95285af23c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207012317/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/55b95285af23c|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 February 2018|publisher=channel4.com|title=Hunt for the Arctic Ghost Ship|newspaper=Bfi |access-date=5 February 2018}}</ref> ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |  2016  || ''Wild Sri Lanka'' ||  Disney+
|-
| ''Wildest Islands of Indonesia'' ||
|-
| 2016–2017 ||''[[Eden (2016 TV series)|Eden]]'' <ref name="channel4">{{cite web|url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/eden/on-demand/63315-001|publisher=channel4.com|title=Eden - On Demand - All 4|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref> || Series 1–2
|- 
|2020
|''Real Dictators'' <ref>{{Cite web|title=Real Dictators|url=https://www.noiser.com/realdictators|access-date=2021-11-05|website=Noiser Podcasts|language=en-US}}</ref>
|Podcast; Series 1
|-
|2020
|''[[A Pilgrim's Tale]]'' <ref>{{cite podcast|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/6JmirMVyQ6S6J0IiIjgkTt?si=Gk46lfsCTOuYa1Gxc0xWPQ|title=A Pilgrim's Tale|website=Spotify|publisher=BMG Rights Management|access-date=14 May 2025}}</ref>
|Record Album; Narrator<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seth Lakeman announces Mayflower-inspired album ‘A Pilgrim’s Tale’ and Tour|url=https://spiralearth.co.uk/seth-lakeman-announces-mayflower-inspired-album-a-pilgrims-tale-and-tour/ |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Spiral Earth |date=7 February 2020|language=en-UK}}</ref>
|-
|2021–2022 
|''Short History Of...'' <ref>{{cite podcast|url=https://www.noiser.com/short-history-of|title=The Gladiators|website=Short History Of...|publisher=Noiser|host=Paul McGann|date=|time=1:55|access-date=6 January 2022}}</ref>
|Podcast; Series 1–2 (41 episodes)<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Hopkins joins "Short History Of" |url=https://www.noiser.com/news/john-hopkins-joins-noiser |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=Noiser Podcasts |date=10 July 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|  2021  || ''[[Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World]]'' ||
|-
|  2024  || ''D-Day: The Tide Turns'' <ref>{{cite podcast|url=https://www.noiser.com/d-day-the-tide-turns|title=D-Day: The Tide Turns|website=Noiser Podcasts |publisher=Noiser|host=Paul McGann|date=4 June 2024|access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref>
|Podcast 
|-
|  2025  || ''Ancient Civilizations'' <ref>{{cite podcast|url=https://www.noiser.com/ancient-civilisations|title=Ancient Civilizations|website=Noiser Podcasts |publisher=Noiser|host=Paul McGann & John Hopkins|date=31 January 2025|access-date=14 May 2025}}</ref>
|Podcast; co-narrator John Hopkins
|-
|  2025  || ''Titanic: Ship of Dreams'' <ref>{{cite podcast|url=https://www.noiser.com/titanic-ship-of-dreams|title=Titanic: Ship of Dreams|website=Noiser Podcasts |publisher=Noiser|host=Paul McGann|date=7 April 2025|access-date=12 April 2025}}</ref>
|Podcast 
|-
|}

=== Audio ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year!!Title!!Role
!class="unsortable" style="width:26em"|Notes
|-
|2001–2021
|''[[Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures]]''
|[[Eighth Doctor]]
|36 episodes 
|-
|2003-present
|''[[Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor Adventures]]''
|Eighth Doctor
|152 episodes
|-
|2011–2013
|''[[The Minister of Chance]]''
|Durian
|6 episodes
|-
|2015
|''[[River Song (audio drama series)|River Song]]''
|Eighth Doctor
|Episode: "The Rulers of the Universe"
|-
|2019
|''You're the Boss''
|Bill
|Track 5 on "Shuffle" by Jamie Lenman, reading of a scene from "Always Crashing in the Same Car" (2007)
|-
|2019–2020
|''[[The War Master (audio drama series)|The War Master]]''
| rowspan="4" |Eighth Doctor
|Series 3, 5 (4 episodes)
|-
|2020
|''[[List of Doctor Who spin off audio plays by Big Finish#Susan's War (2020)|Susan's War]]''
|Episode: "The Shoreditch Intervention"
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2023
| ''[[List of Doctor Who spin off audio plays by Big Finish#The Robots (2019–2023)|The Robots]]''
|Episode: "The Final Hour"
|-
| ''[[List of Doctor Who spin off audio plays by Big Finish#The Paternoster Gang (2019–present)|The Paternoster Gang]]''
|Episode: 	"Till Death Us Do Part"
|}

===Video games===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1997 || ''[[Ceremony of Innocence]]'' || Griffin Moss || rowspan="2" | Voice role
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2015 || ''[[Anno 2205]]'' || Virgil Drake 
|-
|[[Lego Dimensions]]
|[[Eighth Doctor]]
|Archive Audio
|-
|2023 || ''Mia and the Dragon Princess'' || Walsh ||
|}

===Web===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
!Notes
! class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|2020||''[[The Doctors Say Thank You]]''|| Himself|| ||
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Award
!Category
!Work
!Result
! class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
|1987
|[[British Academy Television Awards]]
|[[British Academy Television Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
|''[[The Monocled Mutineer]]''
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Paul McGann: Awards |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001524/awards |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=IMDb}}</ref>
|-
|1990
|Barcelona Cinema Festival
|Best Actor
|''[[Paper Mask]]''
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref name=":0" />
|-
|1996
|[[Saturn Awards]]
|[[Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television|Best Actor on Television]]
|''[[Doctor Who (film)|Doctor Who]]''
|{{Nominated}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2006
|Torino Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
|Special Mention <small>(shared with the cast)</small>
|''[[Gypo (film)|Gypo]]'' 
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2013
|[[Crime Thriller Awards]]
|Best Supporting Actor
|''[[A Mother's Son]]''
|{{Nominated}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2017
|[[Horrible Imaginings Film Festival]]
|Best Actor in a Feature Film
| rowspan="2" |''B&B''
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2018
|Global Independent Film Awards
|Best Ensemble Cast <small>(shared with the cast)</small>
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2021
|Liverpool Film Festival
|Best Actor
|''Swallow Your Dreams''
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-13 |title=LIVIFF2021 best actor Paul McGann in Swallow Your Dreams |url=https://twitter.com/liviff/status/1470357144721633283 |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=Twitter |publisher=Liverpool Film Fest |language=en}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|1524}}
* {{Screenonline name|584233}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6751591.stm Talking Shop: Paul McGann interview at the BBC News website]

{{Subject bar |portal1=Biography |portal2=Doctor Who |commons=y }}
{{McGann family}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McGann, Paul}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Male actors from Liverpool]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:Audiobook narrators]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:English people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:McGann family|Paul]]