Highlights
- Christopher Eccleston’s portrayal of the Doctor in Doctor Who is often considered underrated and excellent, and he played a crucial role in reviving the series.
- Eccleston’s departure from Doctor Who was tumultuous, with tensions between him and the creatives leading to rough working conditions and his alleged placement on a BBC blacklist.
- Eccleston is critical of multi-Doctor stories and has referred to them as cash-ins, making it unlikely that he will return to the series in that capacity.
When it comes to the Doctor Who franchise, there will always be a debate about which Doctor is the best to ever do it. With each iteration of the Doctor, a new actor has come in to bring something different to the role. While many versions are loved, there are some who are met with a lukewarm reaction. Luckily, the actor who helped revive the Doctor Who series as a whole, Christopher Eccleston is usually considered to be one who is both underrated and excellent.
While there are certainly plenty of people who would love to see Eccleston return properly to the series, that probably won’t ever end up happening. The role was both a blessing and a curse for Eccleston and while he has continued to do some work as the Doctor here and there over the years, fans have to accept that he won’t be a major part of any fantastic timey-wimey specials. Regardless, fans will always have his incredible performance that might even cause one to say, Mr. Eccleston, you were fantastic.
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Eccleston’s Role On & Departure From Doctor Who
For those that don’t know, Christopher Eccleston was the Ninth Doctor on the historical series Doctor Who. With the series starting all the way back in 1963 and ending for the first time in the late eighties, it seemed like Doctor Who was a thing of the past for quite a while. For years, efforts to revive the beloved series were in the works, and eventually, all that work came to fruition with a reboot continuation of the series in 2005. Eccleston would ultimately become the actor picked to helm the series as the first modern iteration of the Doctor, heralding a new beginning for the famous series.
Both Eccleston’s fresh take on the done-to-death Doctor, his chemistry with Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler, and the fun direction of the modern stories his Doctor would go on led the series to serious success. Whether modern Doctor Who fans know it or not, Eccleston deserves just as much credit as absolutely anyone else for the modern rise in popularity of Doctor Who. Without his contribution to the character and show, there’s no telling where the series would be today. Sadly, Eccleston’s time on the show would be short and it wouldn’t end well.
In a quote from the Guardian in which Eccleston comments on his departure from the Doctor Who series, he had this to say:
“What happened around Doctor Who almost destroyed my career…I gave them a hit show and I left with dignity and then they put me on a blacklist. I was carrying my own insecurities as it was something I had never done before and then I was abandoned, vilified in the tabloid press and blacklisted. I was told by my agent at the time: ‘The BBC regime is against you. You’re going to have to get out of the country and wait for regime change.’ So I went away to America and I kept on working because that’s what my parents instilled in me. My dad always said to me: ‘I don’t care what you do – sweeping the floor or whatever you’re doing – just do the best job you can.’ I know it’s cliched and northern and all that bollocks, but it applies.”
A tense and hectic shooting process coupled with rising tensions between Eccleston and creatives created rough working conditions. Eventually, the relationship between Eccleston and producer Russell T. Davies had become so disintegrated that it became difficult to bear. Upon Eccleston’s vacating of the role, things had gotten so bad that he even alleged that he had been placed on a blacklist by the BBC.
Eccleston Isn’t A Fan Of Multi-Doctor Stories
While Eccleston isn’t too shy to praise Doctor Who when the series is putting out excellent content, he also isn’t afraid to speak up when he notices aspects that he doesn’t like. One such aspect is the many multi-Doctor stories that have become relatively common and excitedly awaited for by fans. There can be something magical about sending two or more iterations of the Doctor into a tense situation together to see how the different versions would interact, but Eccleston has been so critical that he’s called multi-Doctor stories cash-ins.
With a multi-Doctor special being the most likely avenue for a return to the Doctor Who universe in the flesh, it seems like Eccleston won’t be set to jump back into the Tardis anytime soon. It’s always possible that Eccleston changes his mind or is presented with a story so good that he can’t refuse, but with such pointed words, all one can do is assume he won’t be returning to the series properly. While that may be a letdown for many Doctor Who fans, that doesn’t mean they can’t find ways to continue to experience Christopher Eccleston’s work as the Ninth Doctor.
The Ninth Doctor In Audio Dramas
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Doctor Who Audio Plays For The Ninth Doctor |
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|---|---|
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Series 1 (2021-2022) |
Volume 1: Ravagers Volume 2: Respond To All Calls Volume 3: Lost Warriors Volume 4: Old Friends |
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Series 2 (2022-2023) |
Volume 1: Back To Earth Volume 2: Into The Stars Volume 3: Hidden Depths Volume 4: Shades Of Fear |
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Series 3 (2023-2024) |
Volume 1: Pioneers Volume 2: Travel In Hope Volume 3: ??? Volume 4: ??? |
Those seeking more of the Ninth Doctor need only check out the Big Finish Doctor Who audio dramas in order to get around that pesky regeneration. Since 2021, Eccleston has actually been back in a big way, playing the Ninth Doctor in a series of lively audio drama presentations that rival the excellence of the main series. The canonicity of the audio dramas is a bit tricky, but for those who can ignore something like that and enjoy a good story, the Big Finish productions are going to be worth checking out. With three separate series to listen to, anyone can experience a variety of thrilling Doctor Who adventures that have never been seen before. Each and every series has had four volumes included, with the third series ongoing with the last two volumes to be released in 2024.
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