Actor Hugh Laurie was so convinced his medical drama House would be a flop, he stayed in a hotel for the first year of filming.

The 48-year-old has been a household name in the U.K. since the 1980s but only shot to fame in the U.S. in 2004 for his portrayal of medical maverick Dr Gregory House, and Laurie admits when he first took on the character, he assumed the show would only last a handful of episodes, so he didn't even bother checking through his contract. The series went on to become a major international hit, with Laurie picking up two Golden Globe awards for the role and signing up for seven seasons.

However, the star wishes he had more confidence when he first signed up to the program. He says, "At the time (when the pilot episode was made) I blindly signed up thinking it wouldn't go anywhere. I don't know what the odds are (of a pilot becoming a long-running hit) - one in 100? One in 200? I didn't realize what I was getting myself into. The first year I was in a hotel. Everyone else in the show was signing leases on houses and I said, 'You're mad, we're only going to last a month.' I literally didn't unpack."


(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)