AUTISTIC JOURNEYS WITH CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON 

"So you were one of mine" - such a nice and affectionate thing for him to say. Yes, when the show returned it would have brought in new fans and viewers from a whole range of ages but those young, unadulterated viewers who were too small to remember the show or be unaware of its legacy when it returned, are some of the most special fans, especially to the actors who played the role I think, like Chris. I feel honoured to have been one of those viewers (I was also 7 when it came back) and got to see the show grow and prevail in popularity, especially during the RTD era. I appreciate it's a wonderful and fantastic experience for any fan at whichever point they join, but being there right at the beginning of the revival as a small kid who was equally curious and excited about this new show and sharing that excitement of the first few years with the mainstream public, I feel honoured to have been part of that.

Wonderful video. Chris's reaction to the Doctor Who fan admission made me tear up. He always said that's WHY he took the role on.

Christopher really was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And do you know what...? So were you, Gerard. Great video!

I love hearing Chris say "Fantastic"

'so you're one of mine' love that can't stop smiling through out watching this 😂💗

My Doctor.

The Ninth Doctor has always been my favourite Doctor

top guy that Christopher, he seemed so genuinely interested in the interview. Really warms the heart to see a young person meet his hero and do so well in an interview with him. Well done to both !

4:12 was so lovely, it shows how much Christopher appreciated it

I have depression (and Asperger's) and that moment in "The Doctor Dances" when Nine is saying "just give me a day like this"- everything he said and did is exactly how I would have reacted, and I didn't know other people understood it was possible to feel like that! I felt so not alone, and it's the most wonderful feeling in the world. That moment was when I fell head-over-heels in love with Doctor Who. To me, that is what Christopher Eccleston is- a person who gets it. To me, Christopher Eccleston is YANA, and I don't usually make long emotional posts on social media, but this is my one exception. Thank you, Christopher Eccleston (and Steven Moffat who wrote the episode, and that is the only thing I'm ever thanking Steven Moffat for!)

Christopher is so humble always has been I just love how fame never made him think he was entitled and he never throws his toys out the pram.

I was one of his as well! :') Love Christopher Eccleston. Love the 9th Doctor.

I love it when he said "So you are one of mine!" 😌 So sweet!

These are the kind of interviews I love, not just 'whats your favourite colour' 'obligatory question about any role other than doctor who' 'okay now lets talk about doctor who'

This is heart warming, great interview!

Watched the interview because, well, it's Christopher Eccleston giving an interview. He's my favourite Doctor, and I've been watching since the 80s. What an amazing interview. It was more like two new friends sitting down to chat. Great job! Thank you so much for making this happen. You've got a new fan.

Oh the way this made me sob. “I must’ve been 7, in my mums yard in a leather jacket” 😭😭😭 I’m also autistic (verbal/higher functioning, whichever label you prefer, I can’t keep up with what our community is ok with being called) and same. Chris was MY doctor. I think I’ll need to rewatch the series now.

Brilliant interview. Huge well done to Gerard Groves for making a serious topic into a heart-warming, touching interview with one of the greatest actors in British Television.

Chris is one of the most genuine and sincere interviewees I've ever seen. Consistently. I absolutely love him.

Such a class act.

Possibly one of my favourite interviews ever - both because Eccleston was charming and real, and because Gerard was adorable and enthusiastic. Loved it.

This just made me smile, just fantastic!

Beautiful interview :) i wish Chris would considering doing an occasional Big Finish audio

Christopher Eccelston was Fantastic as the 9th Doctor Who

What a great interview and an incredible man! Christopher Eccleston was also my favourite doctor. I was 5 when he popped onto my TV screen and he had such a unique charisma and a brilliant sense of humour. I hope I get to meet him one day😊

Thank you for this interview, Gerard! Now I am even more curious to watch The A Word. Chris is absolutely adorable (and fantastic)! ❤

Thank you so much for this video. This is so awesome! You did great!

4:30 You were one of mine....

Great interview. I love Christopher Eccleston also. Loved the interview and how you got him to be so open and up front. He seems like a really decent guy.

Great video. Touched my heart. You're a great interviewer!! He's also my favorite Doctor. This was "fantastic"

He was so genuinely touched when you said to him he is your favourite doctor! 😍 I'm sure this meeting will be forever in your memory 😊

From one inspiring filmmaker to another,I wish you good luck man.Doctor Who also influenced me more than other shows did and made me want to be a filmmaker.It's great that you get to meet the hero who sparked that fire in you.Great interview and keep up the good work.

This is easily one of the best things I've ever seen! An awesome interview! Christopher Eccleston will always be incredibly special to me for exactly the reasons you said! Stay rad! ^_^

Awwwww, bless you! You got me crying too. More when Chris said 'Fantastic!' I miss him as The Doctor. I watched the first episode of The A Word and I absolutely love it! On the scene where he said to Vinette Robinson, 'Doctor, how are ya?' I was like, No, you're the Doctor! Hahah! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely interview. :')

I just ran across this video now. I'm Canadian, of course, so I don't get the BBC, but I have subscribed to this channel. What a lovely interview with my favourite doctor and a wonderful actor. I have never bought into the negative stories about Mr. Eccleston. He has always seemed lovely, articulate and genuine in interviews. He cares about fans and particularly those who were children watching him on Doctor Who. I have never heard of him being less than gracious to a fan. Thank you for interviewing him. You are an inspiration. My 3 year old grandson is autistic. He's not quite talking yet, but boy, is he smart. I love him and I know it's going to be an adventure watching him grow up and seeing what an amazing grown up he will be. Thank you for sharing. All the best to you.

This just made my day. He is my Doctor

That was FANTASTIC. What a wonderful, sweet guy Christopher Eccleston is. I wish he'd had stayed and played the Doctor for a few more seasons. I'm looking forward to seeing "The A Word." Great, great job, Gerard.

Being on the spectrum myself, I'm amazed as to how calm you were and not stumble on words. If I'm nervous (and I definately would be sitting next to Nine himself) I would stutter a bit and fall over my words... Thank you for doing this, you're fantastic! :)

Yup, now I'm all teary-eyed. Eccleston was my favorite Doctor too, and he's such a beautiful, beautiful man. I wish I could get BBC1, so I could see The A Word.

Thank you for this. What a beautiful, heartwarming film xx

Great interview!! Very open and honest, it was clear that Christopher Ecclestone was moved by your honesty 😊

Wow, that was a great personal moment. Thanks.

Chris is such a kind man, this is amazing.

This interview is fantastic! Christopher was by far my favorite Doctor, and is still my favorite actor. I'm immensely excited to watch The A Word, and props to you, Gerard, for creating such a heartwarming film!

Loved the tone of the interview. Really good back and forth and nicely put together video. I hope to see more of Mr Groves in the future, he could teach some big-wig interviewers a thing or two, genuinely.

Awesome interview Gerard! I was 14 when Christopher Eccleston was the Doctor. He was my first incarnation of the Time Lord. Funny thing I wear Converse because of David Tennant's incarnation.

This was great! The cynical side of Doctor Who fandom has him down as a grumpy curmudgeon who wants to forget he ever did the show, but in reality he seems like a really warm and friendly guy. You did a fantastic job with this interview :)

Gerard, thanks so much. Like you, Eccleston is my favourite Doctor as I was four when it started and have now watched all 800 episodes. Eccleston will always be my favourite and I think those 13 episodes he did were fantastic. Interviews like this give me hope that he may one day return to do Big Finish. Once again, thanks Gerard! :)

Absolutely fantastic!

What a wonderful video, great interview. Gerard and Christopher are both top blokes!

Christopher Eccelston was great as the 9th Doctor Who

Chris is so amazing and so are you x

5:04 OH MY GOD HE SAID IT

This just made my day. blessings to you ❤❤

RU-vid should have a love button!

Brilliant video. Christopher Eccelston gives off the the air of an aloof "actor's actor" and Gerard nailed him. Good luck with your career Gerard, you could producing / directing the 60th or 70th Anniversary of Doctor Who

Omg aww. He is so cute. They are both very cute.

Ahhhh Gerald, I'm so proud of how much you've achieved :D keep up the good work!

How lovely 😊

I have aspergers, and I'm a huge Doctor Who fan too! I have a tardis tattoo and had a doctor who themed wedding lol

Aw man this made me cry

This is really amazing! I too am on the autismSpectrum and I am a huge doctor who fan as well! Watching this has put a smile on my face and had made my day!

This man is fantastic!

So good! So honest! So sweet! :)

Mardy Bum playing in the background ❤ Also, gotta love Chris.

Wonderful, wonderful video :) xx

excellent! well done!

Fantastic!

Amazing and touching interview :)

I am autistic too and I love Doctor Who. Chris Eccleston was my first doctor. So I can completely relate.

fantastic

FANTASTIC

Ah, nope. It's not the first role with him playing the Granddad, because The Doctor is a granddad. ;) Sorry, I wouldn't be a proper geek if I didn't point that out.

how wonderful :)

Beautiful video. My brother has Asperger, too. It is not always easy with him. I would love to see him being able to do, what you do. To be so open and positive. And especially outgoing. It's great, that thanks to Chris and doctor Who, you found your Outlet, your way. I hope my brother will find it some day too. As child he had different phases, he collected magazines on chainsaws and would know every single type of Husquana and Stihl chainsaws and could tell them apart [They are all orange -.-] than he got into tornadoes, but that was just a short time, than it was planes and jets. In-between trees were a big thing, even in winter, he could tell every type of tree apart. But it were always just phases...nothing that would REALLY keep his attention, give him an outlet. I wish you all the best, you give hope

Brilliant interview, Gerard! I can't decide who got the most from it though - Chris seemed in awe of you, and your openness about your autism journey. I've subscribed :)

My Doctor (thought Tennant is a close second!). Such a kind, genuine soul!

Lovely blokes, both of them.

He's not the only one! That is exactly the thing that got me into Filmmaking as well! I have old footage from my mum's PC of my own homemade episodes that I made back in the day with Windows Movie Maker and the computers Webcam! ha!

Love it

awesome video Christopher is so nice I have aspergers wish I met him

it good seeing chistopher eccleston again

He will always be my first doctor

I was one of his to Love ❤️ Christopher Eccelston 9th Doctor Who

Really good interview ☺

Quiet beautiful.

Gerard this is SO COOL

Chris is also my fav doctor

Right in the feelz......

❤ DOCTOR WHO

Great piece, nice edit. Did you do any other A Word interviews ?

IT WASN'T HIS FIRST ROLE AS A GRANDDAD - THE DOCTOR WAS A GRANDDAD HOW COULD HE GET IT WRONG? REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

AAGH! I love chris!

Great video but I'm sooooooo jealous! :D

I was 25 when I became one of Chris's l want him to see my Whoventures channel and my blog and everything. I'm autistic and him becoming Doctor Who spurred me on to make lots of new internet friends which led to starting a RU-vid channel which led to attending conventions and starting a blog where I show my art and Who art which eventually led into an offer to have myself drawn into Peter Capaldi's first comic in DWM and making me part of the Whoniverse. That's all thanks to Chris for pulling me into the TARDIS through the TV. Please show this comment to Chris please please please. :D

Very touching video. :)

♥

I started watching Doctor Who in summer of 2017, and Christopher is honestly my favorite, with David a very close second. I am on the autistic spectrum, and Doctor Who is my biggest special interest. My mom loved watching his season with me and his episodes remind me of a time when I wanted to die so badly. I wanted to die bad enough that I told myself that once I finish watching to season 10 of Doctor Who, that’s when I would finally free myself and kill myself. When I started the first episode of season one, I fell in love with Nine. He was funny and cheerful and cheeky, but he hid his sadness and pain with it. Watching him, I felt a connection with the Doctor. I hide my pain with sarcasm and other emotions. I was sad when Christopher wasn’t in season two, but I still continued to watch and fell in love with more and more terrific, dare I say, fantastic people. After a few seasons, I decided I wouldn’t put a time limit on myself. I wouldn’t kill myself after finishing season 10. Without Christopher, I know I would be dead. I would have said screw it I got nothing to lose if it wasn’t for Nine. Because Christopher being such a big hit, that how Doctor Who got a season two, that’s why we have Doctor Who as we know it today. If Doctor Who didn’t exist like it does today, I know I would’ve been dead for two years this month. I owe my whole fucking life to Christopher Eccleston. I still want to die, very badly so, but I have a pact with myself: I’ll try to make it to see the end of Doctor Who.

It seems strange seeing Christopher Eccleston as a grandfather. I really like the punk link with The A Word and great to hear The Mekons on a BBC drama. For me this was not like looking in the mirror. My behaviour is not too dissimilar from Maurice as I can be very blunt without realising it. Mark Haddon's Christopher Boone is closer to me. In fact when that book came out I received it for Christmas and then about 4 people after Christmas said I read this book and reminded me of you and that indirectly led to my diagnosis.

Gerard do you have a link to your own channel