The Lone Ranger star says he is looking forward to a quieter life.

Johnny Depp has told the BBC that he is “not too far away” from quitting acting.

In an interview that aired this morning on BBC Breakfast, the actor said: “When you add up the amount of dialogue you say per year and you realise you’ve said written words more than you’ve had a chance to say your own words, that becomes an insane option for a human being.

“Are there quieter things I wouldn’t mind doing? Yes, I wouldn’t mind that. I wouldn’t say I am dropping out any second but I would say it’s not too far away.”

Asked if he would retire before rumoured upcoming projects Alice In Wonderland 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean 5, the actor said: “No, I think we’re alright in those categories.”

Three-time Oscar nominee Depp added he was looking forward to “going somewhere where you don’t have to be on the run, or sneak in through the kitchen or the underground labyrinth of the hotel”.

The Pirates of the Caribbean star told Rolling Stone magazine in June: “I can’t say that I’d want to be doing this for another 10 years.”

Disney’s The Lone Ranger, which has underwhelmed in the US, opens on August 9 in the UK.