Eccleston's Time on Doctor Who (and his not returning)
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- It's no secret that fans of Doctor Who have long been clamoring for him to return to the role of the 9th Doctor. We crossed our fingers for the 50th anniversary special, some are still holding out hope for Big Finish, others are clinging to the fact that he's doing conventions these days. But he has yet to actually return, and his recent autobiography may have shed some light onto one of the reasons for that.
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I've never understood the mentality of fans who think that the actors and producers of a show they like "owe" them something. It is we, who owe Eccleston the respect of his privacy, to leave the man alone, if that's his wish. His already done more than enough by giving us a seasons worth of one of the finest Doctors to ever pilot the TARDIS.
100% agree
👏👏👏
Regardless of whether or not he wants to be associated with the franchise in whatever way, he did a tremendous job playing the role which played an important role in successfully bringing the franchise back and I will always respect him for that. That being said, I would be really joyful, if he embraced the entire thing a bit more and wouldn't come across as being a bit ashamed of it that much instead. But I can understand if he's annoyed by it, given what a behemoth Doctor Who is as a whole.
@@chanceneck8072 he had health problems
@@sygulli5093 Yeah, interesting. I didn't even know that.
It's always annoyed me the way some fans treated Eccleston. I think it was one of my first experiences of the sense of entitlement of some in the Doctor Who community - That they are entitled to him, that he must get involved with Big Finish and should have returned for the 50th.
End of the day, he didn't sign up to a life, he didn't sign up to be someone's fantasy. He signed up for a job - and he gave it 100%.
I originally saw his decision solely through that lens - that he was an actor who wanted to focus on his current and future projects, not what had come before. And that he saw himself as an actor not a personality - he would fulfill his contract with media appearances, but had little interest in anything outside of that.
Since, more has come out and it's clear it goes beyond that the bbc treated him badly and has never apologised for it. And I can understand that too.
We've been spoiled by how generous other doctors have been with their time. We should be grateful for that, and understand how special it is, it shouldn't be the expectation. With that said, recent comments from Eccleston has shown that he has grown to appreciate and enjoy connecting with fans, has started opening up more, and I am confident when he is ready, we'll see him collaborate with Big Finish
Yeah, the entitlement is strong among a certain section of DW fans. You said it correctly, whatever else was going on, to him it was just a job. He was already an established, well known actor and he didn't come into it as a fan of the show. He has stated that he knew of it but didn't really watch it. Tennant and Capaldi were already long term fans when they joined and for Smith it was his first major gig, so it makes sense that he'd throw himself into every aspect of it. Not sure where Whitaker lies in this. To Ecclescake, he had no further commitment to provide (none of them do), he did his job and he was done, Next project.
As for whatever went on behind the scenes, I've always got the impression it was people higher than RTD (as they remained friends after he left). Billie Piper talks in an interview (season 1 Blu-ray I think) about how Ecclescake protected her and looked after her when higher ups were doing things to her that she didn't like, whatever that may be. There was definitely something going on and his illness may have been part of that but we'll probably never know the full, true story. I for one, respect his decision to leave and to (so far) stay away. It's his choice and he owes the fandom nothing. Also, I believe he has hinted that he might be willing to return in some form at one of his convention Q+A's. I can't remember which one it was though. So your last comment could come true.
Well, you'd think that a guy with a time machine would be available for things like that.
lwaves even if he never returns, he still gave us 13 fantastic episodes and without him, we wouldn't have had David Tennant's run, nor Smith's, nor Capaldi's, nor even Whittaker. It's like when Tom Baker didn't return for the Five Doctors, it was a shame yes, but he wasn't required to be there, all that happened was the BBC had to work around it, like they did with Day of the Doctor. Also, about the fiftieth anniversary, there was an upside to his absence, it allowed John Hurt to appear, as well as Night of the Doctor, which probably wouldn't have even been made if Eccleston did.
@Samuel Agreed. To me, he was a big part of DW's comeback success, just as much as RTD was. Even before the first episode aired, his casting gave it a feeling that this was being done seriously and not just casting anybody in the role.
Yeah, it's strange how these things work out with casting etc. How different things could have been (for good or bad) if one thing had been different.
Many people (rightly) say that, if Patrick Troughton hadn't been so brilliant, the show wouldn't have continued much beyond William Hartnell's departure. In similar vein, Christopher Eccleston's superb performance in the rôle set a solid foundation for the actors who succeeded him. We will always be grateful to him for that.
Looking back at his time as the 9th Doctor, and how he looks now, it's evident that he was quite thin for someone of his build. It's understandable he'd want to avoid putting himself into a position that might trigger him to go back to that place in his mind. I can relate to that.
I think you hit the nail on the head with your reminder that actors are humans with issues of their own and needing to take care of themselves. I do think sometimes people forget that actors aren't property, we don't really have any say over what they do in their careers, or why. Yes, ticket, dvd, merch sales and viewership fuel their career, but that doesn't mean we own them or have any right to dictate their lives.
I remember that scene in "Dalek" where the Doctor is tied up with his jacket and shirt removed and I saw how thin he was.
I now know why, but at the time I had no idea.
Perhaps he wasn't happy to do this scene as written and the argument around this was the issue?
It makes a lot of sense to me now, I thought he looked thinner than I saw him before his run as The Doctor and after his time was done.
Oh also, I remember reading about when he finally joined the Con circuit and met with some of the past Doctors, and they welcomed him with open arms. Was nice to know that as much BS as he might get from certain fans of the show, at least the actors made him feel welcome.
As someone who has struggled with eating disorders before, this breaks my heart. I have never been angry that he never came back (disappointed for sure) and completely understand if it would be damaging to his mental health. I just hope he does whatever he has to do to stay fantastic :)
Eccleston is My Doctor, My First Doctor, as I started watching the show when series 1 of Modern Doctor Who started airing. I became a Doctor Who fan thanks to his era. While I would love to see him return to Doctor Who in some form and I have in the past felt disappointed that he has not so far, I have never been angry at him for it. At the end of the day its his choice, I would love to see him back but if he feels he cannot return because he feels that it would put him in an unhealthy place again, that is completely understandable.
I know quite a few people who have met Ecclestone both professionally and informally and they’ve all said he’s a really down to earth guy and he has no issues discussing Doctor Who with the fans. I think some of things he’s saying in the media (such as him feeling blacklisted in the UK) have a touch of hyperbole, but that said I’ve never really had an issue with him not engaging with Doctor Who in the way others have. Christopher Ecclestone is an actor who has had a long career both pre and post Who and we have to remember that from a career point of view, Doctor Who was just another job. As Whovians we tend to forget that not everyone views the show the same way and that goes for those who play the leads. Especially when you consider how long the show had been off air when he took over the role. Most of us have had jobs that we don’t enjoy and would anyone really want to go back to doing a job they disliked? I think it’s a shame we may never get any more 9th Doctor adventures, but for me that makes the ones we’ve got all the more special.
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So it's more he didn't feel like the role was for him and not a Michael O'Hare situation
donald paluga not necessarily the mental health issues are still naturally a factor
He didn't dislike the role, he's said numerous times that he loved playing the doctor, and the character always interested him but he left because of all these different factors, but he enjoyed playing the character itself
Eccleston was fantastic, absolutely fantastic, and he was actually one of my favourite Doctors, he was charming, funny and yet carried a certain darkness within him. I loved him so much. I grew up with Eccleston being the Doctor and he got me into Doctor Who, I did not know at a young age about Eccleston's personal problems and I actually hated him for leaving but upon learning of his personal issues, I felt terrible. I love Christopher Eccleston and I always will, he's awesome and as long as he's happy, so am I. :)
To the Council - Always awesome to see you, by the way. I love your videos and you are such a huge influence on me and my actions. Look forward to the next video, see ya.
Same. He was the doctor right after destroying Gallifrey. He was broken, and hurting and it made the 'Everybody lives' moment so painfully poignant. It took me a long time for my resentment to fade and this resent revelation of his was a major wake-up call about my exceptions of others.
The reason you aren't getting more subs more quickly is because you don't indulge in false rage. It's also the reason why I *do* sub to your channel. Keep up the empathy.
And it makes the real rage is all that more magnificent, and justified, when it happens.
Well there's also the fact they explicitly talk about LGBT+ issues in media, and most UA-camrs that do that with the same level of frequency that Council of Geeks have tend to not get a lot of subs because UA-cam's filled with homophobic and transphobic scumbags.
"And until next time, this council - "
*CUTS TO CREDITS*
This council is what ?
THIS COUNCIL IS WHAT ?!?!
The video was just like Eccleston's run...
Council What
This Council is out
That’s what he was indicting. I think
This council is what?! WHAT IS HE TRYING TO SAY?!?! THE COUNCIL IS WHAT, NATHANIEL?!?! *Collapses to the floor sobbing*
I loved Eccleston as the Doctor and was sad when he left, but never felt any bitterness or anger towards him personally. If I remember rightly, the public message when he left was that he felt he'd done his part in bringing the show back and wanted to avoid being typecast. That also tied in with my own reading of Eccleston's personality, which was that he's a very serious actor and would much rather be off doing Shakespeare or serious dramas like Our Friends in the North. Him taking Doctor Who was a favour to Russell T Davies to give the revival some added credibility and star power after they'd worked together before. I still feel there's a fair amount of truth in that.
I was disappointed that he didn't come back for the 50th at least for the "all 13!" bit and/or War's regeneration scene, but I think after that he'd started talking about the behind-the-scenes difficulties. I've always felt that he's perhaps overstated the extent to which he was "blacklisted" by the BBC etc and I've not heard anyone give the other side of the argument (which would presumably be that Eccleston was hard to work with and clashed with directors/producers). Whatever the truth about the on-set difficulties though, it was clear that Eccleston was left with a very negative perception of how the show was made and the fallout of his departure.
Eccleston's revelations about his mental health troubles have been a surprise. He's always kind of had the image of a tough working-class northern bloke despite obviously being an artist and quite erudite. It's actually quite heartwarming to see someone of his background open up about those kinds of struggles as there's still a lot of taboo about it. It's been great to see him tentatively engage with the Who fanbase again and I'm hopeful that we might eventually see some small return to the role.
He or any actor never owes us the fans anything.
He by far was my favorite follower by 12. I didnt realize he was only there for such short amount of time but that's ok. Clearly he had a lasting impact on me/some of us 💕
Eccleston has been doing the media rounds in the last few weeks to promote his memoir, I Love the Bones of You. The book is largely about his relationship with his father but from what I can tell (as I haven't read it) he does discuss his career as well. I heard him interviewed by a radio presenter called Zoe Ball on the UK's most listened to breakfast show (on BBC Radio 2) and it's clear he has no problem in being referred to as the Doctor or talking about his time on the show, albeit in a very careful way. At the time leading up to his departure I heard a rumour that he was trying to get more creative control over the part/show, which is what caused the falling out with the executives. Of course, that could have been a story to paint him in a bad light rather than RTD and the other producers. He's now saying he does conventions because he wants to proof he does not have a problem with the show itself or the fans but with the BBC and the production team at the time. As you say in the video, he has appeared in series for the BBC in recent years, including The A Word, which is returning for a new run soon. In his most recent interview Eccleston says he would have liked a least one more series as the Doctor because that would have given him the chance to iron out any problems from the first series and really nail the part. I would have preferred if he'd dialled back on the goofiness and played to his strengths as a more intense, angry persona but he did pretty much have the role down in the few episodes he did. There was also a change of tone for Series 2, which Tennant fitted more than Eccleston might have. And who knows, given the softening of attitude, the Ninth Doctor might return for the 60th anniversary (although let's not rush towards that because it means I'll be 60 too).
Reluctant Geek and I’ll be 65 😳🥴🤣😂
He recently did an interview at NYCC where he goes into more detail about why he didn't return for the 50th and also suggests that he's very much down to come back to the show in some way which is definitely worth checking out if you haven't seen it.
Do you have a Link by any chance?
@@sanchobanana3507 twitter.com/i/videos/1179887864642965507?embed_source=facebook
SpeccyBagel: thanks.
Thank you so much for this info! I just watched it and it was awesome
I always thought it was a shame we didn't get more of Christopher Ecclestone as the Doctor, but I respected the man's decision even before I knew the reason. He was and still is FANTASTIC
Eccleston was my Doctor back in 2005, and even after watching pretty much every piece of DW, Classic or New, his performance still is up there as one of my favourites, he's a hell of an actor. I respect his reason for leaving and all, but he gave us a fantastic season, and a brilliant portrayal/revival of the character, which I'm more than happy with.
He’s the best doctor IMO, he’s been talking a lot recently and I really appreciate it because I care about his doctor and him as a person, of course I wish I saw him with a second series, I’d love to see him with so many other characters and villains but I don’t blame him for leaving. The fact we got one series with him is lucky enough!
Chris went to NYC ComicCon this year. In his recent memoir, he has come to terms with being The Doctor, and considers it to be one of the best things that could have ever happened to him in his career. He is grateful for the fans who not only love him as The Doctor, but also love many of the other things he has done. Personally, I have been watching him in an excellent show called The A Word, about a family dealing with their autistic son.
I think Eccleston only having 1 series was kinda worked perfectly tho. It was a perfect reintroduction to the show, introducing the idea of regeneration to a new generation of fans. We don't always need more of something, it's better just happening once.
Pretty sure I read recently that when the news of his leaving leaked the BBC said he was leaving because he's tired and then Eccleston sued the BBC cause telling everyone he was tired hurt his chances of getting new jobs cause "oh he gets tired we should probably find someone else" which if the case is really shitty considering he wasn't well
He got fired and replaced with david tennant without giving david an audition, he didn't know he was going until they told him at a dinner that he was going, because he wanted time off to deal with his illnesses and his father's severe illnesses, which was recently revealed by sources from inside the BBC around the release of his new book
He just said this this weekend at NYCC too www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-10-04/christopher-eccleston-doctor-who-exit-series-2/amp/
Do either of you have sources?
@@kaicreech7336 I know a handful of people eho have different sources that usually say the same thing, and confirm or unconfirm what each other are saying
@@kaicreech7336 You can watch his panels and hear from him directly. He's begun to be more open about things.
Honestly, it's his choice. We have one wonderful series with him as the Doctor and comics/Big Finish are filling in the gaps wonderfully for Nine's era. It is entirely up to him if he ever wants to return and I think the fandom should respect that choice instead of constantly harassing him. I would love it yes but the choice isn't ours to make. Keep in mind Tom Baker had a similar mentality to the show in the 80's.
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While we're at it, Leonard Nimoy spent years trying to distance himself from Star Trek. I don't think he had a contentious relationship with his show's producers like Eccleston did, but he definitely got tired of people saying "Live long and prosper" every time he left his house. And eventually, he began to accept that Star Trek would be (mostly) what everyone remembers him for. Side note: the Invasion of the Body Snatchers movie he did was also really good.
I really liked his comments on the 50th, I understand why the initial script that included him didn't sound interesting to him, and I definitely agree that what went forward with John Hurt as the War Doctor was the best choice for it, and the fact he had specific and obscure favourites from Hurt that he mentioned shows he really had a great respect for him in particular as an actor.
He did return to the role once, very briefly. A couple of fans were getting married so he sent them a video message as The Doctor, complaining about his lack of invite. Admittedly, his hair was different and he wasn't in full costume, plus I think he'd just filmed it on his phone, he has at least played the character since leaving.
I LOVE the 9th Doctor but, yes, he needs to take care of his health. One plus to his not showing up for the anniversary episode is we got The War Doctor -- a brilliant character portrayed by one of the finest actors to ever portray a Time Lord. I really wish we could have seen more of him as well.
This was a much more emotional and insightful video than I was expecting. It meant alot to me and gave some perspective to issues I’m dealing with. Thank you, Nathaniel.
There was a definite feeling at the time that "if he's not going to commit to the role, why do it at all?" Oh, he committed more to the role than we will ever really comprehend. We would all have liked more, and maybe - just maybe - we'll get it. When HE'S ready.
Christopher Eccleston openly spoke about his experiences in New York Comic Con recently. The main reason for the departure was a deterioration in the relationship between him, the show runner, and producer. What upset him for years was how he was blacklisted for some time by the BBC for his decision, and even mentioned of how that while older fans of the show have thanked him for reviving the program, they still view him with disdain.
Among the reasons he chose not to be in the 50th anniversary dealt more with how his incarnation would mess up the overall story.
As for a reunion, while he addressed that he never would in a joking manner (in the year 2063 for the hundredth anniversary special,) I would like to see a story with him and Whittaker (which everyone including himself spoke about.)
In recent interviews, he did speak about mental health issues with anorexia, suicidal desires, being bullied, coming from a blue collar/working class background, and being kicked out of the house on Christmas Day by his father suffering dementia. He also did speak about how the Doctor Who fan community has actually helped him, which is one of the reasons he's been doing conventions and speaking about the experiences lately.
3:15
RTD said in his book that he didn't want Eccelson's departure to be leaked, because he wanted Tennant's apearance to be a suprise.
I didn't know that when he was struggling with anorexia, that was when he was working on the show. That changes my outlook a lot. I was never mad about him coming back, but I have been wondering and wishing for a really long time, but this information and perspective helps me understand. I've struggled with EDs and currently still struggle with mental illness, and I can appreciate to some degree what it's like to enter that same space in which you've experienced the worst of that struggle or trauma, and that's so hard. I'm really glad that he's been able to come back to Big Finish recently, even if we don't know why, that's still a really good thing and I'm happy for him and for the fans too. I hope that he's in a better space and I hope that people learn about this and have some understanding about what it means to be mad at him for not returning to the role.
He also was going through depression and his Father's dementia.
I always had an intuition that there was much more that was happening behind the scenes and outside of the public eye with Christopher's tenure as the Doctor. Look at the situation through the lens of logic. The press at the time was not convinced that a new version of the show would work for modern audiences. Along comes Christopher and knocks the role right out of the ballpark. I don't think that fans today realize how much was invested in the hope that the show was updated enough to catch on with the new generations that had arisen since the show was "put on hiatus ". We should be eternally grateful for the fantastic job Chris did in helping return the show to higher awareness amongst the general public and higher ratings for the BBC. For this alone we owe Chris a debt of gratitude. With all sincerity from Dr. What!!!
Eccleston is my favourite Doctor. Love him so much and I always do a yearly rewatch of his season.
I have always respected his decision to have limited involvement of the show. All I hope is the show and fandom may become a positive influence because it is something that will never completely leave his life. I have seen him enjoy the positives of doctor in small doses In recent years and hope that aspect shines through
Love that you tackled this and your perspective was really enlightening. I always thought that Eccleston felt he was a victim of a bait and switch. He signed up for the beloved show he remembered, which he called over and over again in the Confidentials, a children's show. That, however, was not the show he was in.
I feel lucky, I got Eccleston on my return to Doctor Who and then I got him as Claude Rains on the show Heroes. Same thing there, he was only on for like one season but as he played a guy who could become invisible, I used to imagine he was there, unseen, watching over everything. Anyway, yeah let him do what he feels comfortable with.
Having never seen Heroes, the name "Claude Rains" threw me off; that's also the name of Captain Renault's actor in Casablanca!
@@SonofSethoitae Claude Rains also played the title character in the 1933 film version of H G Wells "The Invisible Man", which is where they got the name for the Eccleston character in Heroes.
I loved Chris Eccleston! He was my first Doctor although when I found DW on PBS it was late in his series. Bam! David Tennant regenerated in and so began my Doctor crush. I always liked Chris and eventually PBS showed his series again! Hello Captain Jack and a very funny 9th Doctor with gravitas. Yay PBS! British comedy night topped off with DW every Saturday! So many of the guest stars from these other shows turned up on DW. I loved that!!
I can understand this. I was extremely stressed during my last year of University. If I ever went back there to do another course I don't think I could bear it.
Another great video. Always love your analysis and persistent humanity towards others.
Eccelston's doctor, while not my number one favorite, always has held a special place in my heart due to his involvement in bringing the show back and thus into my life, his being my first ever doctor, and how his doctor portrays his pain in his actions and his relationships. As someone who deeply struggled with anorexia when I found Doctor Who, this revelation has floored me and changed things for me. How wonderful and generous of him that he has opened up and shared that part of his story, opened that conversation for fans of the show even after the outrage and anger sent his way. Men's mental health is heavily stigmatized and rarely discussed, particularly with eating disorders. This is something that everyone, including myself as a privileged cis woman, has to work harder at fixing and I am so grateful that he would share his past pain with not only an atmosphere of angry fans but an atmosphere of an unaccepting world. On my part, my affinity for the Ninth Doctor's portrayal of trauma and self-forgiveness means SO MUCH MORE to me. This man deserves so much privacy and so much respect. What he's done is very powerful.
This does make a lot more sense than what we've been told so far, and I'd even go on to say the recovering alcoholic analogy doesn't do enough credit, because for an actor to go back to a character they're not just returning to a place where the temptation might exist but also needing to put themselves back into the same frame of mind they had when they were harming themselves.
Mental illness is never a joke and if this is even part of the reason he left, I not only understand but applaud him for having the self-respect to know the danger and to not come back. 'Cause that kind of self-respect is what mental illness tends to take away from you, it's hard to get back, and it's more valuable than any TV show.
Thank you for your thoughtful and well thought-out analysis........ We should thank him for the rebirth of a legend.
As someone whos had issues with eating disorders i find that its always been in the back of my mind thst its its something i could go bsck to in times where im not feeling great about myself so not wanting to tempt things and go back so a job where he was in that headspace is totally understandable
Thank you for this video. I had no idea about his health issues, and now with this information, I am glad that, for his health, he declined the offer to return.
I get the feeling we'll see him for the 60th in a couple years
*I want to thank you for giving one of my favorite Doctor Who's a so respectful and understanding video. Well said!* On the BBC I think they have often (under political pressure) forced unwanted compromises on those most dedicated to making Dr Who more than just yet another TV show but, in my mind, the single most important (if not ALWAYS good) TV show ever. Indeed *it is my belief that the War Doctor (John Hurt) was deliberately made to look like an older Ecclestone (Big ears, short hair, leather jacket) what I see Hurts one time showing (he's another of my favorite actors as well) was the OLD version of Christopher Eccelstone's War Doctor back without saying so.* A very good Video with a lot of insight and understanding!!
Nathaniel, as always, bringing a carefully worded, nuanced approach to a complicated topic. Well-done.
I am guessing that you know about Christopher Eccleston autobiography that came out earlier this year called I Love the Bones of You. In which he talks a lot about is background, growing up in Salford in in what we british call a working class household ( blue collar) in the 1970's I do hope that one day you can get a chance to read it. As it is one of the most powerful thing I have read in all time.
I totally agree with you. I really enjoyed him as the Doctor and it's a shame we only got one season from him. Not that anyone has to explain themselves, but I wish someone would because there've been so many "reported" reasons for his departure. One rumor was that Eccleston saw Davies treating production staff poorly & when Eccleston called him on it, he was told to do his job and butt out. He tried to quit on the spot but was held to his contract for one season. Like I say no one has to explain themselves, but every so often some edges towards an explanation and that's going to frustrate people.
It saddens me to know that there are people who hold a grudge against Eccleston. I don't mind he only has one season, it's honestly my favorite and he's and always will be my favorite doctor. I feel that all his experiences show trough his acting and it was brilliant and fantastic, so humane, caring and tender. I respect his decision simply because if anyone were in the same position they would do the same in any type of job, it's not fair that because he's an actor he's expected to do something. There's a lot I could add but I just love him and admire him so much, my respects to him for taking care of himself 💙. Thanks for your video :D
Hes straight up my favourite doctor
As usual, I find myself in agreement with pretty much everything you said. While I've been disappointed at his not returning to the role, it's never occurred to me to hold it against him on a personal level, as I assumed he had his reasons. I'm quite pleased he's starting to re-engage with the property and the fanbase by attending conventions. Here's hoping, if his mindset is anything like you describe, he can use that experience to find reconciliation and perhaps return one day. I'm rather sorry I missed his panel at Rose City (I'll have to see if anyone uploaded it), and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to see him at Gally One. I didn't realize his book was out, I'll have to put it on my holiday wishlist.
Also, I'm glad to see he's taken the step of going public with his illness. Too many people still consider anorexia a young women's condition. Having a prominent older man say "Yeah, this is me", can definitely aid in dispelling that misapprehension and encouraging others to find the help they need. Kudos to him.
I absolutely loved Eccleston’s time as the Doctor, mostly because I’ve always thought he was a fantastic actor going back to his time on Cracker, and in Elizabeth. I actually loved his run so much, that I stopped watching when Tennant took over, and didn’t see any of his episodes until his run was over.
And I would love it if Christopher came back into the fold for a special, seeing him and the other new Doctors together would be an absolute blast, but I’m not going to start being angry with him for not doing it. That’s his choice, for whatever reasons he has, and it’s none of my business.
So, I’ll keep hoping someday soon he does Don the leather jacket once more, and will wish him nothing but the best in his career, and most importantly his life regardless.
David Tennant was what got me into the show, but I went back and watch his Ecclestons too. They are both my favorite. Then Matt Smith.
Eccileston was one of the best doctors in new who. it's sad he only did one season
Ecclestone is my favourite Doctor. His acting was fantastic in all 13 episodes that he did. Even in the episodes with lower quality plot/writing, I can still appreciate the highest quality of his acting that I don't think I've seen with any other Doctor in the modern era (I say modern era because I've not seen enough of classic Doctor Who to compare him with).
If the 13 episodes that he did are to be all that we ever get of Christopher Ecclestone on Doctor Who, then that would be disappointing, but I will never hold that against him. If anything, it makes me respect him even more for sticking to his decision.
I loved Eccelston's Doctor -- but always figured he had some strong reasons for not participating in Doctor Who stuff. And now that we know what those reasons are, as much as I'd love to see him involved, I'm glad he gives himself the distance he needs.
Awhile back I was on vacation and there was this British store and they had a Christopher Eccleston mug. I nearly bought it and with this story I really wish I had, to show my support for him.
I think we can all agree we would love to see him come back but he doesn't owe us anything he revived the show we all owe him a debt of gratitude it's his choice he is the best in my opinion but it's all down to him
I believe he is proud of the work he did on Who. That's part of why he's doing conventions now. I don't think he had any friction with RTD, as he's been mentioned as one of the draws for him to play the character, it was to work with RTD. I'm glad he knows he did good work, and I love what he did with the role. I will miss any expansion of that work, but understand the reluctance to visit a painful time.
Thank You, Chris.
He specifically says he had problems with RTD. You can watch his panels and hear his own words.
Ngl I didn't hate Ecclestone for leaving but I used to think it was childish how he didn't get involved during the 50 but I found out about the anorexia a couple of days before this video and man was I feeling guilty this video really just hit me in the feels and I feel so much more guilty so sorry about that Chris Eccleston we will support you
Eccelston's 9th Doctor is one of my favorite, if not my favorite Doctor, and while it would be absolutely fantastic that he returned, i want him to put his health above his role. Christopher's well-being is much more important than reprising a role that brings him back to an unhealthy time in his life.
Absolutely love your videos!!
My hope for Eccleston returning to the show is slowly building. He seems to be more open and more honest about his issues with the show than he ever has been in the past, and so I sincerely hope to see him alongside Whitaker, Capaldi, Smith, and Tennant in 2023. His openness, to me, would indicate that he's getting the struggle out and working on overcoming it.
If they go that route, of course.
Might be nice for you guys to know that Eccelston is now working on some Big Finish Episodes. Is kind of nice knowing despite everything, he does love playing the part.
I respect him more now . Thanks for sharing this as I was unaware. I also like that morfatt didn’t recast 9 and made a new character. I know it messed with the chronology but we can get around that
Easily my favourite Doctor, and I will always be sad about his not returning.
I've known about Ecclestones illness for about 6 years now.
I'm the worlds biggest gossip, and its killed me for years not saying anything to anyone. Especially when I've had to listen to people slagging him off, for not performing to their expectations of him. During the filming of the 50th anniversary a source close to me said he was unrecognisable. He booked himself into the priory (private mental health unit)
I wanted to tell you! Because I know you've mentioned it a few times. You dont seem like a gossip, and how understanding of these kind of things really shows, but maybe like me, you might have felt the need to defend him by blurring it out (although I never did, I came so close)but I didn't know how to without making it public.
I'm so happy hes finally spoken out. Not for fans, but for everyone knows how important it is to not keep this stuff to yourself.
I loved him in the role. One of my, possibly my absolute, favorites. Would love him to come back or even just do more US con appearances. If he can't/won't, people should understand that that is his prerogative for any reason.
I think it’s great that despite his issues with the production, he is generally warm towards the fandom itself. It seems that the only times he gets real frosty about it are when people in press and media keep pestering him about the show just to get a reaction.
I've never understood why, when Eccleston declined to appear in the 50th anniversary show "The Day of the Doctor," why Steven Moffat didn't just bring back Paul McGann rather than create the War Doctor.
5:50 I don't think that's an accurate methaphor. I think it's more like a recovering alcoholic having to come back to a job they had when they were an alcoholic. But the statement is still true, if a person decides they don't want to come back to that, that's their choice.
And it honestly doesn't matter why Eccleston doesn't want to come back, if he doesn't, then that's none of my business, I would love to have him back, but if he doesn't come back, it's not the end of the world.
I do wish Steven Moffat just brought back Paul McGann instead o just inventing this War Doctor. 8 could've been our War Doctor, and at last bridge the gap between classic and nu.
Paul McGann regenerates into John Hurt in this short. That's enough of a bridge for me. ua-cam.com/video/-U3jrS-uhuo/v-deo.html
I think part of the analogy is that Eccleston believes his anorexia was part of the reason he got the job, so he feels that going back might put him back in that headspace. I think another analogy might be, if some singer used to sing about really dark/ depressing subject matter, they might not want to go back and play those songs for fear of it bringing back those feelings
@@FortoFight I just wanted Paul McGahn in a feature length episode. And adding this War Doctor is stupid and completely screwed up the numbering of Doctors
To be fair, Moffat wanted to bring back McGann after Eccleston declined, but this was vetoed by the BBC who didn't think McGann was a big enough 'name' for the 50th anniversary story.
@@LesterLeapsIn1 Well then, I'm sorry Mr. Moffat, I was unfair to you. Fucking BBC.
Thank you.Years on I have come to appreciate, Chris's 9th Doctor and now to understand what may in part be his reason for leaving, he is an amazing person /actor.To carry through wiith a commitment to a job, while ill is strength that most of us would or could not do. Chris embody the character of the Doctor in real ife.
I am not a fan of the Eccleston episodes' writing or his version of the Doctor, but I am glad to know that you have empathy for people struggling with health issues. Far too many people don't care about their fellow humans. Also, anorexia is a very scary condition to deal with, I have a friend with it and she suffers. I am sorry to hear that he did, too (I hope he has it under control, anyway, and has support for it).
There are even episodes in series 2 that were written with him in mind still playing the Doctor.
As a child who watched his father succumb to Alzheimer’s and dementia in his “seventh age” (Shakespeare reference) I totally understand Chris Eccleston’s position and wish him time enough to enjoy his personal life with his family in whatever time is left to him. We don’t get to choose what happens in our lives but we do get to choose how we deal with it. Clearly Eccleston has the support of his family and real fans in this.
I loved his version of the Doctor so much, that I admit I was upset that he left, and I have long felt a little resentment toward him. I always thought that one should understand the fan expectations when taking such a roll, and to not come back for specials, or audio books, or anything, well .... i thought it was a snub to the entire legacy of the show. Now though, after reading his comments about the mental state he was in.... i am ashamed of those feelings. Sometimes we forget that people are complex and have their reasons for what they do. I hope that my feelings were a holdover from youthful ignorance and that i wont be so quick to judge by my own expectations in the future. Everyone is going through things we cannot see on the surface. This is a reminder to me, that i dont know as much as i think i do, and that i must respect people's choices as i would like my own to be respected.
In his most recent panel he specifically said he did not return to the 50th because he felt the script did not do justice to his character, considering the perceived abuse he suffered from the BBC. And he said he did like the revised script with the War Doctor, and appears to have watched that episode as he said John Hurt did brilliant things with the role.
It's really a shame things didn't work out. He's my favorite doctor so far, though that may change as I get further into Smith and into the 12th/13th doctor runs. Would have been great to get another season from him or at least in the 50th anniversary. If it's for the sake of his health, mental or physical though, then it's for the best. I always saw it as a shame but don't hold a grudge. Then again I also didn't grow up with Dr Who I started watching it less than a year ago.
Eccleston introduced me to DW and will forever stay my favourite. He opened up a world of wonders to 13 year old weirdo and he is the face of that and I am forever grateful. When you were saying this all I could think was that scene in Dalek woth hos shirt off and how he looked. Now the hate from fans that he gets seems even more cruel and unjustified.
I guess that's not really to say that we will never see the Ninth Doctor ever again, but Eccleston was so good in the role that it just wouldn't be the same. What I mean is like in the far future anniversaries, like 70th. Speaking of which, Doctor Who is going to be 56 on 23rd November this year.
1:18 he said at a comic con very recently that he views Russell as a genius, but that they simply don't get along. He admired Davies a lot after working with him once, and immediately agreed to the role of the Doctor just on the basis that Russell was writing it. He never anticipated they wouldn't get on.
ua-cam.com/video/GvjPy6n5hKc/v-deo.html
Babylon 5 / J. Michael Straczynski had a mental health issue with the first lead, the late Michael O'Hare. From JMS's comments the issues were handled well and O'Hare came back for a 2 part episode that tied up his characters arcs. Not that this was the same situation, but perhaps Eccleston may feel that Dr. Who producers were overly harsh in helping him deal with his illness.
Poor guy, I had no idea. That makes me really sad, but I hope he's doing better and still fighting. But I will say that if he had more content on the show, he probably would be my favorite Doctor. It's a shame, but I accept it.
I wish he had stayed for a 3 year run. It would have been great to have had Eccleston in the 50th Anniversary. I'd love to see him in a future multi-Doctor episode. But the man owes us nothing.
Please start your next Doctor Who video with "is adjourned." Loved this video, by the way! -Matt
I was never upset that he left Doctor Who, or upset that he wouldn't come back because I figured there was something going on there and he was done, but I was suspicious for a while a few years ago because he seemed to badmouth another show he was in (I don't remember which one), and I didn't believe him when he said the BBC blacklisted him. My initial reaction was "man, sounds like *you* have an attitude problem". I was wrong. All accounts outside the BBC point to him being an absolute sweetheart and an incredibly hard worker. The BBC always seemed to make him out as an ungrateful curmudgeon, which really would have damaged his career. They have a lot of power on the UK and often don't wield it wisely.
I was rewatching scenes from series one and damn he's so much better than I remember. Tennant is my all time fav doctor but damn if Eccleston stayed more he'd be way better. The 9th doctor is so good charismatic and funny, Christopher Eccleston is a great actor
"Until next time, this council."
Must be a two parter....
This council is what?
THIS COUNCIL IS WHAT?
*Doctor Who sting sound plays*
*Roll credits*
Nah it was probably just a minor editing mistake or software glitch. It happens.
Nice
Blackpool
Actually, Eccleston has stated that Russel T Davies, the producer, and the co-producer were the reason behind him leaving the show in Rose City Panel and NYComic Con.
Tom Baker didn't return for the 5 Doctors. They showed an untransmitted clip of him and Romana instead. Many were disappointed to say the least
For years Christopher Eccleston shunned talk of doctor who. Recently this year he has accepted all sorts of Doctor who conventions, including in the us. He talked to fans in the audience (Portland convention, I watched on youtube), about some of his issues. He said in didn't come back for the day of the doctor, because he didn't get an apology for the bbc saying he was tired when he left doctor who. He talked positively about how he helped bring doctor who back and he liked the way RTD cast Rose (billy piper) as almost an equal co-star. He seemed relaxed and funny but very frank.
Having spoken to a few backroom people who have (and still do) worked with Ecclestone - the bottom line is that its a combination of all the reasons/stories/rumours that circle around his departure.... mainly his health was suffering (physical and mental) and he didnt feel he could give it his all - this had the knock on effect with disagreements and arguments that occured too.
One thing I can tell you is this - if you work as crew with Chris - never go to a wrap party - they can last anywhere from 24-48 hours!!! (Thats what I hear anyway)
As an American I just assumed when I first saw the series that he was only contracted for one year as I had not watched the original series since I was born in the 80s. I just assumed he contracted for the first season and then decided to not renew it for any longer.
He recently has opened up a lot about what happened as he is in the process of selling a book about his life specifically around his relationship with his father, during the time he was terminally unwell.
Anorexia was just the tip of the iceberg during his time as Doctor Who. He had a real problem with the producer who he viewed as a bully to staff, He also went through a marriage breakup, had a father who had chronic dementia, and at the end of his Doctor Who run he was admitted to a psyc ward for being suicidal.
After he left Doctor Who, BBC blacklisted him, making it next to impossible for him to work in England. He was asked by the BBC to come back for the anniversary, and said he will come back if they apologised for blacklisting him and misrepresenting him in the media during the time of his departure, the BBC refused, and he felt the environment had not changed enough for him to justify reopening old wounds again.
Was I as a fan sad that he didn't come back for the 50th? Yes. I would have loved to see him back as the Doctor. But it's his choice how he wants or needs to handle his career. He doesn't owe anyone additional appearances or fan interactions or anything. Even back when there was speculation about the anniversary, he was gracious about his reasons for not coming back, and made it about him, rather than about anything else, "Never bathe in the same river twice," were his words. If that's his policy, I respect that.
Eccleston himself said recently, if he had come back, we wouldn't have had Sir John Hurt as the War Doctor, we wouldn't have had that fantastic twist to the mythos of the series and the character of the Doctor. It's also not as if he hasn't done things on a personal level with fandom. He's wonderful when interacting with individual fans, especially children. He's also slowly working his way back into the larger Doctor Who franchise. He's done more conventions this year than he has in the last decade or two. He was just announced as a guest at Gallifrey One, THE BIGGEST Doctor Who convention in North America. You don't go to Gally if you don't want to embrace your association with Doctor Who.
He has needed time, and understandably so, in light of what he's said over the years. He is willing to reach out and interact again, and the last thing he needs is entitled fans getting upset at him for his past actions or for taking care of himself. That I see him passed over when people recommend where to start with the series makes my heart hurt. We wouldn't have had new Doctor Who without him, and we certainly wouldn't have had the amazing portrayal of the character he gave us. That he's now willing to come back, and willing to share more of his personal struggles, both in general and around the show, is more than generous of him, and supremely kind and vulnerable of him. He is a true class act, and I hope that he continues to feel safe and healthy and to know that he is a wonderful person no matter what choices he makes regarding Doctor Who.
I always thought he just didn't like the Doctor Who series and left for creative reasons. I wish we could get more 9 but not at the expense of his health. CE, you were fantastic, take care of yourself :)
Great and emotional vid man but it did seem a bit elongated due to the constant awkward silence between words.
I do wish Eccleston would come back in some way but if that’s his wish that’s how it is he doesn’t owe anyone anything he’s the doctor who brought back doctor who he’s one of the best despite his short time on the show without him we wouldn’t have 10-13 he gave enough so fans should give him his privacy he deserves it
its awesome how he did work with BF after this video (not saying the video is why ofc) but was cool to see