Sorry, but I’m not a child. The ninth docto is one of my favorites – my count is 10, 9 and 11. He’s a wounderful Doctor!

So I’m sorry that Eccleston didn’t have fun when he was starring in the show that so many people loved him in. And I’m sorry that he won’t be in the 50th Anniversary. But his complaints about being in Doctor Who are all about a production team that is long gone; it’s a totally new team. I’m sure he met Moffat, since he wrote two episodes for his Doctor, but I can’t believe he’s got a beef with a writer … so for him to keep repeating “he never bathes in the same river twice” is a bit old. If he really wanted to make his fans happy he should swallow his pride and show up for some ten minutes of his time and be present with the rest of them. I find this really annoying and think less of him for it. (It’s not like they are going to ask him back to be in entire episode)…

So they can get some other actor to play him, or use old footage.

@Monica
I’m not a child either. I’ve heard that sentiment a lot since this interview was posted, most criticising him for thinking of it as “just a kids show”.

I respect that he didn’t enjoy his time on Doctor Who, clearly there were private issues behind the scenes between him and the team. I also respect that he doesn’t attack Doctor Who itself and seems to appreciate its fans, albeit assuming they’re all children for some reason.

It does make me quite sad though that Chris Eccleston wouldn’t even consider coming back, as farsighted99 said, for even just 10 minutes or less. At the very least, I’d like to see the 8th regenerate into the 9th. It’s a crucial gap that doesn’t occur anywhere else in the Doctor’s life and it’s a regeneration that resulted from the end of the Last Great Time War.

I think if they need the 9th Doctor, they may have to re-cast him as the previous post said. They can probably get away with it because he was the Doctor for only one series, but I would know and certain feel that it was wrong.

Richard Hurndall had to play the 1st Doctor because of William Hartnell’s death. The 9th Doctor would have to be re-cast just because Eccleston didn’t want to do it.

Crucially, that’ll mean we’ll never really see the 8th Doctor regenerate into the 9th, which hasn’t happened since the 6th Doctor’s regeneration (McCoy and that blonde wig).

You know I really hate that Christoper keeps saying he won’t return to the show. I would love to see him next year for the 50th anaverseriry episode.

You know it’s not even the same teem running things. I see no reason why Chris can’t return for a episode.

Let’s stop back biting Chris. Whatever his reasons, they are his reasons. Tom Baker did not return for the 20 Anniversary. People seem to be forgetting, if it was not for Chris (and Billie) brilliant acting, the BBC could have cancelled the show after 1 season. You have 13th excellent episodes of Doctor Who with Chris!

@Steve
The BBC wouldn’t have necessarily cancelled it after the first series if it was Chris in the role. David Tennant was also running for the 9th Doctor and if RTD had opted for him then then the BBC probably wouldn’t have cancelled it, because we all know what happened when Tennant eventually did take on the Doctor.

JC

I saw in another link the staff were cruel to the prop guys

@Steve
My post was because I actually really like Eccleston’s Doctor and would love to see him play the role again, so it’s sad that he really won’t go back.

@kuu I’ve haven’t heard that before. If they were, that would obviously be out of order.

@farsighted99
Eccleston has often said in other TV shows and films, that if there was a sequel or prequel or whatever he would not return to the role.

In other interviews he has also said that his experiences with the production team (and he has expanded on saying that its not just the writers and the producers, it is the entire team, the staff that do little tasks and the prop department) has soured his view on a possible return.

What people have to understand is that actors have their certain ways of doing things. Eccleston is to do his stint, and then carry on with the rest of his life. Explore new roles. He has always been like that since he started his acting career. And yes, it is sad that he won’t return, but I respect his decision.

And also he has talked about older audiences who watch Doctor Who complimenting him on his performance, but when Doctor Who returned in 2005, it was directed at children, and Eccleston would have directed his performance towards children too.

@Steve
It was admitted that the shows future was uncertain. They said that no matter what was the outcome of the acting, or the popularity, there was an uncertainty to its progression, and that they were essentially waiting for the head guys to give them the thumbs up.
The popularity helped and the acting, and that Eccleston cemented the ideals and image of The Doctor back into British Culture and the minds of young children and adults alike.

I loved Eccleston as the Doctor but his attitude as an actor bites. I get that for whatever reason he’s upset with the people he worked with but why he feels the need to stick it to the fans I don’t know! I’m not sure what we did to deserve the big brush off! All we did was support him and welcome him with open arms and for that we get called kids and basically told he wouldn’t return for the most important Who event EVER! Well how would he like it if we refused to support him in anything else he did?

Christopher perhaps the child you’re refering to is the one looking back at you in the mirror, to which I say: Grow up and move on!

@Grace but also to everyone else:

I don’t think he’s intentionally being mean to the fans, and I don’t think he’s calling us all children. If you reread what he said, he just refers to the children who talk to him in the street as a sector of the audience – he’s not talking about the whole fan base, or tarring them with the same brush. Plus, Doctor Who is occasionally marketed as a “kids’ show”, albeit ignorantly. It’s easy to focus on that section of the audience, and I don’t think he was being rude by not talking about the whole fan base. It might be that he’s grateful for us massive nerds on the internet too, but for interview purposes goes with the example of children because it’s a more emotive topic.

He’s not being mean to the fans, he played the part then moved on, that’s it. We can sulk if we want to, but that’s just the sort of actor he is; he plays the part, then moves on; I don’t think he’d have wanted to come back even if the behind the scenes stuff he hated hadn’t gone on.

And so I’m guessing you guys are okay with his thumbing his nose up at the whole idea of not returning for the biggest anniversary in television?

@Grace
Be very nice to see him, if indeed a multi-Doctor story is even on the cards (we have no idea at this point!) But the fact he doesn’t want to it’s up to him, no point getting upset or irked about it.