After 15 years, Christopher Eccleston is reprising his role as the Ninth Doctor – but only on audio. If you’ve been hoping to see Eccleston back on the Doctor Who series, you’ll be holding your breath for a while.
Eccleston recently appeared on Lorraine, a British daytime talk show. When host Lorraine Kelly started hinting at Eccleston’s possible return to the Doctor Who series, the actor quickly shut down the line of inquiry.
“I know what you’re getting at, Lorraine, but only when hell freezes over, as The Eagles once said,” Eccleston said.
You can watch the interview in the clip below.
Eccleston introduced a new generation of fans to Doctor Who with his role in the 2005 revival. But the Ninth Doctor was only around for one season; Eccleston left the show after 13 episodes.
Since his exit, the actor has given a broad overview of why he left the series, citing a breakdown in his relationship with the series’ showrunner and producers and the politics of making the show. Eccleston has also openly discussed that working on Doctor Who coincided with a particularly difficult time for his mental and physical health. In his autobiography, he revealed a lifelong struggle with body dysmorphia and anorexia that left him with suicidal thoughts. After leaving Doctor Who, Eccleston felt blacklisted by the entertainment industry and the country.
So in light of all the unfortunately negative associations Eccleston has with his time on Doctor Who, it’s not that surprising he’s not interested in coming back to the show.
Still, Eccleston continues to participate in fan events and conventions, and appreciates all the love Whovians have for Nine, despite his shorter run on the series.
Positive fan experiences actually directly led to Eccleston’s decision to reprise his role as the Ninth Doctor for audio. He accepted an offer from Big Finish to act in a Ninth Doctor Adventures series after attending Gallifrey One, a major fan convention in Los Angeles.
You can find out more about Eccleston’s return to Doctor Who via audio here.
What do you think about Eccleston’s comments? Do you miss Nine? Will you check out his upcoming audio adventures? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Lorraine
