Ioan Gruffudd in lead TV role after admitting audition rejections

In January, the Hornblower star confessed was not getting work, which had knocked his confidence

Hollywood actor Ioan Gruffudd has landed a lead role in a US TV series, weeks after admitting he was seeing a psychologist to overcome audition rejections.

The 40 year old, who is originally from Aberdare, Cynon Valley, will play an immortal New York medical examiner, the Western Mail is reporting.

But in January, the Hornblower star confessed he was not getting work, which had knocked his confidence.

The pilot, Forever, will air in the US.

Father-of-two Gruffudd will take on the lead role of Dr Henry Morgan in the series, which will go out on the ABC network. It is reported to be a mix of fantasy science fiction and crime drama.

The part should come as a much needed boost to Gruffudd, after he was dumped from the big budget Fantastic Four superhero film franchise.

He appeared as Dr Reed 'Mr Fantastic' Richards in the original 2005 film and its 2007 sequel, but he has been replaced for the movie's 2015 make-over.

The Project X actor Miles Teller, 27, will take over from Gruffudd.

Last month he spoke candidly about missing out on big parts.

"As a result my confidence has really taken a knock, so I've been working with a psychologist to help me overcome all that, in order to make me feel more at ease in those situations and like I really don't care what happens," the Daily Mail reported.

Gruffudd with wife Alice Evans, who he met on the set of 102 Dalmatians