“I tried hard, but I couldn’t quite get it,” he went on, though said the experience was still “good fun”.
Gambon guest-starred in the 2010 episode as the miserly Kazran Sardick, who refused to help a crashing spaceship land safely on an alien world. Determined to change Kazran’s mind, the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) went back in time to alter his childhood for the better as a self-styled "Ghost of Christmas past” – hence the title. The episode later came third in a RadioTimes.com poll for the best Doctor Who Christmas story.
“Oh [Matt Smith]’s a great bloke, isn’t he?” Gambon said. “I loved him. And who was that beautiful girl in it? Katherine Jenkins.”
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“Ooooh, Katherine Jenkins – I tried it on with her,” the actor joked. “No, too old. No hair.”
Michael Gambon as Professor Dumbledore
Gambon went on to discuss one of his other high-profile roles as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, a part he took over from the late Richard Harris from 2004 onwards. But it turns out his time at Hogwarts started out with a bit of a fib – because Gambon had never seen or read any Harry Potter.
“I told them I’d seen the first two,” Gambon recounted. “They asked me what I thought of Harry Potter and JK Rowling and all that, and I said ‘Oh, it’s just breathtaking. The first two episodes I saw were just fantastic – I can’t believe I’m going to be in this.’ Liar!”
The actor also revealed that he will not be appearing in any Harry Potter spin-off projects, whether it be stage play The Cursed Child or spin-off/prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – and he was pretty sure Harry himself wouldn't be either.
“No, none of us have been invited into the new Harry Potter,” he said. “I’d like the money!”
“But I don’t think they’d like me in it, anyway. They haven’t asked me back. Or Daniel [Radcliffe].”
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be released in 2016
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