This smile of pure happiness at the end. I really hope that one day BBC will come with proper apologies, so one other day in a critical situation the Ninth Doctor will show up out of a sudden, grab everyone's hands and say: "Run!"
I attended the same secondary school as Chris (albeit five years hence), and listening to him here, I sat up at the mention of English teacher Mrs Morris. I'm so glad he name-checked her. I had zero self-confidence at school and while some teachers were encouraging, when Mrs Morris said to me, "Keep trying with Doctor Who and you will do it," I knew she meant it. In August I finally got there with my BBC Audio Original. Thoroughly enjoyed this interview. Thank you, Nick and Chris. Long live Big Finish.
Well, I’ll have to check out _The Resurrection Plant_ now! Your entry on the _Doctor Who_ wiki says you wrote a book about growing up with Asperger’s syndrome, nice to see a fellow aspie get into the Whoniverse :D
I would love to see him do an audio with Paul McGann, imagine Nine being forced to work with the incarnation responsible for the trauma that has burdened him
Totally agree Adam. It's so nice to here more about his work as a young actor and on the circuit working, his influences and standout performances. He really has come out of his shell and relaxed since working with Nick and doing conventions and Comic Cons. I think he has realised there is a love and thirst for his work and know more about what makes him tick. More of this please Nick, maybe an hour interview next 😉?
The scene where 9 meets the Dalek floored me. Made me need to watch the OG show because I was like, these Daleks clearly ENRAGE this man! I need to see WTF?
Christopher Eccleston shall forever be my Doctor, its an honour to have had him bless our screens back in '05, he was the only one who could have brought the franchise to the modern era, thank you Chris, you're an absolute delight ✨
I was a Dr Who fan from childhood in the 1960s right up to Peter Capaldi, and for me Chris Eccleston was the best ever Dr Who. Like you, for me he is my Doctor. And I totally agree with you.....only Chris was able to bring back the Doctor. He was the only actor able to bring those deep mercurial shades of light and dark.
chris is the only who i liked right from the get go. angers me that he's still kinda blackballed in that later series kept getting rerun but series 1 only got rerun a few times. thank god it's on max now
I'm in love with the fact that Nicholas Briggs just interviewed Christopher Eccleston and Doctor Who didn't get even name dropped once Lovely interview
I have such deep admiration for this man. What an actor. What a worker! He gives respect where it's due, but is never insincere. We are all so lucky to have him be a part of this thing we love.
Those of you who haven't already, listen to the audiobook version of his book "Love The Bones of You" (read by him) where he talks about his life. Before the book, I was a fan of Chris Eccleston the actor. After the book, I was a fan of Chris Eccleston the man. He has my eternal admiration and respect.
I’ve been listening to the 9th Doctor adventures since they came out and honestly it’s impossible for me to rank such great stories written by talented people and also performed by amazing actors and actresses and just the fact that I got more of Christopher Eccleston, my first Doctor ever is such a fantastic gift and I’m very lucky to be a Doctor Who/Big Finish fan 💙💙
The right actor at the right time to play The Doctor. Some of the scenes in which he portrayed The Doctor were some of the greatest in the sixty year run of the program. His single year was virtually complete. And the dynamic he forged with Billie was wonderful. He has nothing left to prove. Anything else he does playing The "Ninth" Doctor is a bonus as far as I'm concerned. Jon Pertwee will always be my Doctor. But Chris was and is... "Fantastic".
I'd love to hear that to, but I know BigFinish are keen to keep their Ninth Doctor Adventures as solo adventures. If we get Rose and Nine back together, I think it'll be for a "Further Adventures" set (like the ones with Lucie and Charley).
If Rose was ever to be part of it they would have to come up with gap adventures between episodes of Series 1 if any i'd assume 9 and Rose had more adventures than what was shown on the telly.
CHRISTOPHER! The first Doctor I'd ever seen way back in 2005. What an actor, what a doctor. It's one of my dreams to see him in the leather jacket again someday.. as incredibly unlikely as it is!
Chris is just such a brilliant human being. It saddens me that the rift will probably never heal between him and RTD, and him and the filmed show in general, but I'm glad he could move past what happened enough to do Big Finish. We'll probably never know the details of why things fell apart like they did - Chris has always been very careful and respectful about what he says, and has said a bit more over the years, but always continued to protect the show and everyone involved in it. All I can say with confidence is that judging from everything we know about him, his decision was a kind, thoughtful, loyal, principled, and honourable one. Now if only I could afford Big Finish...
It's a shame that things didnt work out for sure. What I take from it is, his time as the doctor gave him a platform to show his salt as an actor. I'm happy to see him reprise his role but more so I'm happy to see him in high spirits
he eventually was quite direct in saying why he left. a director was abusive toward the crew, & as series lead he defended the crew to the producers, who blew him off & brought the abusive director back for at least one more episode. plus there was so much pressure from the tv execs on the producers that things fell apart and the element of trust was gone. he didnt want to work any more w people like that so he would not come back after his 1-yr contract was up. he didnt say anything after he left, but he was badmouthed & blackballed, & a fake statement put out supposedly by him saying he couldnt handle the pressure. this all angered him so much he'd finally had enuf and decided to defend himself, explaining fully why he'd left.
I watched the first Doctor Who though to the end of the time of Tom Baker and moved from the UK. Suddenly Christopher Eccleston appears and absolutely steals the show. Chris, I hope you are starting to understand how much your role in reviving the show means to so many people. 💝 Thank you so very much.
Mad respect! This behavior from Chris is a HUGE inspiration! ♥️👏 We need more who know honesty as an invaluable virtue, a lifestyle! This is a shining example of good people!
I had the joyful pleasure of meeting Christopher Eccleston at my local comic con here in Michigan (Motor City Comic Con, for those wondering) earlier this year in May. He was so lovely, and was even kind enough to sign my blu-ray of Series 1! I was initially apprehensive about offering it to him to sign, because I know he had such a harrowing time making it. But I figured enough time has passed for him that maybe he'd forgive me if it seemed I was being insensitive. Thankfully, he took it in stride and I think kinda joked that he didn't want to see it on eBay. I assured him it'd be safe on my shelf with my other "Who" media. Such a lovely guy. I'm happy I finally got my chance to meet such a down-to-Earth man. Much respect!
Been a fan of Chris since Cracker, and his Doctor was the template for all of NuWho. Like Hartnell before him, when you look back at his performances, all the traits we see in later 2005+ Doctors (flash anger, compassion, craziness, humour) are all there in that single Eccleston season.
Superb interview. Christopher Eccleston is a magnificent actor and it's wonderful he's returning to Doctor Who in this form. Echoing everyone suggesting you read his autobiography I Love the Bones of You, but for his acting tour de force I very much recommend The Leftovers.
One of the things I love about Chris is his sincerity. He doesn't mince his words, but when he commits to something, he really commits, and that's very clear with his Big Finish work. He respects the writers above everybody, and I think it shows in his performance. I also adore how down to Earth he is, a complete realist with a great sense of humour. The pragmatic way he talks about acting, no mythology or philosophising about the art of it all, just talking about trying to do the best job he can to do justice to the script.
It’s interesting that he credits Russell T Davies as one of the good writers he’s worked with, despite his dislike of him. Shows that he can still hold a professional respect for someone’s work regardless of his opinion of them personally. I’ve yet to see an interview with Chris that doesn’t add to the respect I’ve already built for him.
Fascinating interview with Chris here. Love what he has to say about his career, his inspirations and the importance of great writing (and respecting writers!). Can really tell how true he is to his word - which of course makes sense with that focus on honesty. Great guy, amazing actor. Thanks Nick and team for organising this and sharing.
I downloaded the audio book version of his autobiography using Audible. Chris Eccleston has risen in my eyes (not that I ever considered him "low") because of the authenticity and depth of feeling he seems to have. The book is called "I Love the Bones of You" and he reads it himself. Well worth the time. Best interview ever in this video in my opinion.
Absolutely adore Eccleston and how down to Earth he is. We've had a series and a half of brilliant adventures with him on audio... Please renew 'The Ninth Doctor Adventures' for a third season BigFinish.
Honestly, what a true gentleman and a consummate professional. Have you ever seen such an honest, hard-working, humble and down to Earth man? He's a true thespian who respects his craft and pays due respect to those around him. Thank you so much to Nicholas and Chris for such an engaging interview!
That was wonderful! What an absolute gem we have with Christopher Eccleston. He is always such a joy to watch, a really truthful actor and, like The Doctor, he is never cruel or cowardly. He is a fine example to us all.
I have such a deep admiration and respect for Chris Eccleston. Very real, down to earth man. It's refreshing to hear what he says on entertainment/acting/working for yourself. It's a tough business, and I'm glad Chris and Nick are both parts of it.🙂🙂
Such a genuine, kind, honest guy! No attitude, no false front. Just a lovely guy! I've enjoyed the Ninth Doctor adventures so far immensely. Can't wait for the next batch. Thank you, Nick Briggs and the whole Big Finish team, for giving actors like Christopher Eccleston such great material to shine with! 👏
I really do hope that working with Big Finish is going to heal the topic of Doctor Who for him. I don't know what happened with the BBC, but I hope he's aware that at least there are a lot of fans who appreciate him.
These two have come a long way since, "THEY'RE NEVER GONNA COME, YOUR RACE IS DEAD, YOU ALL BURNED ALL OF YOU! 10 MILLION SHIPS ON FIRE, THE ENTIRE DALEK RACE? WIPED OUT IN ONE SECOND!!!"
That ending, finished me 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭. What an absolutely privilege to know about Mr. Eccleston then to watch this wonderfully done interview. Can't love this man enough. I just love him more and mor each time I watch him on anything.
I cannot listen to the audio plays because I am deaf. Was hoping to watch this video because I love Eccleston so much, but no CCs, so I cannot watch it. Please enable captions from now on.
I felt that way about Bogart in Dead End that he does about Cagney. I see where he's coming from. This guy brought Doctor Who back and bless him for it. Loved him :)
It's thanks to Christopher and his performance, my father introduced me to the show in 2005, and because I showed an interest, it was the first time my father thought he could enjoy something with me when I was a kid. Thank you for a relevant step in my ability to have connections with ones I love
Brilliant interview. I hope we get many more 9th doctor stories. Ideally would love to see big finish disregard canon a little bit and give us some experimental stories or character/companion experiences that might not necessarily align with the tv stories. I feel like with 9 and the War Doctor, there’s perhaps a little bit of writing themselves into a corner of this character has to be x because all their change happens later on screen.
I have so much admiration for Chris as an actor, I'm currently in drama school training so it was great to hear him share so much about his work and his inspirations, as he is certainly one of mine
Breaks my heart really you know, I love the bones of this man. I've always said it was never about how long an actor played the doctor. What's important is the influence they have on you. Collin Baker influenced me to stand out and never hide who I am, David Tennant taught me how to be an extravert and find confidence I didn't know I had. Patrick Thornton made me realize people will judge on your appearance but will love you for your soul. But the impact Christopher had on me saved me from a downward spiral of anxiety and depression. I've suffered trauma in my life and have felt like I can't carry on sometimes then I pop the ninth doctors season in. Here's this brilliant man who'd just been through some very dark times and probably is suffering from the trauma of the time war. This doctor probably didn't feel like a hero and felt closed off from everyone. He was lost and confused but he never gave up on people, he still found joy in life and people wherever he went. He showed people a better way to live and did it love and care. Christopher Eccleson was the hero I needed when I needed it most I'll carry that with me always. Love that he's done the big finish stuff but like I said it breaks my heart to think we may never see him play the doctor on telly again. I'm hoping though there might be some chance with Russell T Davies coming back. Thanks for being there for me Chris I'm eternally greatful. ❤
You know those slightly lame and very gimmicky interviews they do on RU-vid where they reveal most Googled etc. Well, this is way better than those. Just a great conversation between mutuals fans. You can tell you really respect each other's work. I would love to see him on stage sometime. Talk about putting your back into it!
There’s so much to respect about Christopher Eccleston but, as a writer myself, his protection/love for writers is unlike anyone I’ve seen; feels me with such pride and makes me want to work more, so (one day) I could cast him in a role. Thank you for your honesty, Christopher Eccleston, it means a lot!
Chris is my favourite doctor and I always enjoy rewatching his series, would be nice to be able to see him on screen as The Doctor again, maybe one day, but I love the audio books and I enjoyed this interview. Thank you :)
My sincere and honest hope for Chris and Big Finish is that Nick or Jason cast him within a Big Finish Classic, like David Warner in King Lear and John Hurt in The Invisible Man.
Beautifully led by Nick, and some wonderful stories from Chris. As a lad from his neck of the woods I’m always moved by how his upbringing shaped his life and values. Would love to do a bit-part in one of his BF sets if I got the chance.
I love Nick and Chris, legends of their games and re-igniters of the flame of Doctor Who. Much love. Side note: For an audio production company this sounds like it was recorded on zoom via Pringles can.
Yes, sorry about that. Unfortunately, the interview was only recorded on a single microphone. We did our best to clean up the otherwise noisy sound because we figured you'd rather watch it with less-than-ideal audio quality than not at all. We'll make sure we have multiple working mics, with backups, in future.
I'm sad that Chris was unhappy with his Macbeth. We went to see him at the RSC and my lot all all thought it was wonderful. We've also seen Tony Cher, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, Francis Barber and many more there at various times; Chris more than held his own in comparison. Also really enjoyed his performance in The Doll's House at the Donmar a few years ago. Please pass that on when you seen him next x
Eccleston has a captivating intensity and he's a thoroughly decent, moral person. I'm not surprised he's had problems in the industry as most lack his courage and honesty.
Patrick McGoohan was a lovely actor and director! I know him from Columbo but from what I've seen of the Prisoner he had a great range and creative spirit
Wish he came back for the anniversary. Even if he had issues with the previous crew. Such a shame. Would love to see him on screen as the Doctor one more time.
I've always loved listening to the Behind the Scenes on Chris' sets. When he speaks, you can tell he puts so much thought and belief into every word that comes out of his mouth.
Is there a more genuine bloke on the face of the planet than Chris? There's never so much as a whiff of pretention about the man. Always wonderful to hear him speak.
Christopher Eccleston was the reason why he got me into Doctor Who, thankyou for sharing this interview! I just finished collecting all the Doctor Who DVD's, collections and boxset on Tuesday, so happy.
