Eccleston Finally Talks “Doctor Who” Exit
Christopher Eccleston took on the role of The Doctor for just thirteen episodes in the first season of the 2005 series reboot of “Doctor Who”.
Eccleston famously has had no desire to return to the role due to behind-the-scenes disagreements that took place on the show – mostly with management at the BBC. In the past, he has talked about how he loved playing the character but the work environment didn’t really work for him and he holds animosity toward the production to this day for the way they treated him.
As part of a new interview with the
Radio Times, he’s gone further into detail – naming names and explaining what exactly happened that led to his exit from the massive TV series:
“My relationship with my three immediate superiors – the showrunner, the producer and co-producer – broke down irreparably during the first block of filming and it never recovered. They lost trust in me, and I lost faith and trust and belief in them.
Some of my anger about the situation came from my own insecurity. They employed somebody [as the Doctor] who was not a natural light comedian. Billie [Piper], who we know was and is brilliant, was very, very nervous and very, very inexperienced.
So, you had that, and then you had me. Very, very experienced, possibly the most experienced on it, but out of my comfort zone. When I left, I gave my word to [then-showrunner] Russell T Davies that I wouldn’t do anything to damage the show. But they did things to damage me. I didn’t criticise anybody.”
Eccleston adds that he will never have a working relationship with Davies again. Davies of course left “Doctor Who” with the departure of David Tennant.
