Kiefer Sutherland struggled to find work after 24 came to an end

He told The Independent newspaper: "After 24, I thought I would just naturally have a bunch of opportunities staring me in the face.

"But the truth is, if you don't create those opportunities, they're just not there.

"As someone who likes to work, there have been times when I haven't worked for a while - because I didn't do a lot of the planning that's required."

After 24 finished, Kiefer went on to land the lead role in thriller Designated Survivor, which ran for three series, as well as appearing in a TV reboot of The Fugitive and his latest project - Christmas movie Tinsel Town.

In the interview, Kiefer looked back over his career and admitted he made some mistakes when he first started out as he prioritised projects with. hefty paycheques because he had a family to support.

He explained: "I've never really had a very specific idea of where I want to take my career. Looking back, there are moments when I wish I had been that guy ...

"Almost from the beginning. I had kids at a very early age. I had responsibilities, and I had to make a lot of choices early on in my career ...

"There was a financial component to those choices, more than I wish there had been. And so, some opportunities, I had to pass on. And I regret that."

Kiefer has a daughter, actress Sarah Sutherland, who was born when he was in his early 20s during his marriage to Camelia Kath.

It comes after the actor admitted he enjoyed his time on 24 because it gave him a "real job" with regular hours.

He told Fox News Digital: "I think 24 for me was a fantastic opportunity because it was the first thing that felt like a real job.

"I went to work five days a week, eight months to 10 months a year, and then I was lucky enough to do it nine years in a row.

"So, there was a moment where that made me feel calmer. But I'm back to the every three months I'm out of a job kind of thing."

However, the Emmy Award-winning star - who has been active in Hollywood since the early 1980s and is also a musician - insisted he has been "so fortunate" in his career and didn't want to complain about it but admitted that his success has taken a "wear" on him.

He added: "I've been so fortunate, I'm certainly not going to complain about that. But it does take a certain kind of wear, you know."