Fans of Christopher Eccleston’s brief but iconic run on Doctor Who may not be happy to hear the actor’s latest denial of any future appearances on the popular TV series. After a decade away from the character, Eccleston is finally returning to voice the Ninth Doctor in a series of audio dramas from production company Big Finish. That long-awaited reprisal has been a source of excitement for many, but it’s unlikely to turn into an onscreen comeback any time soon.
Despite having led the first series of the 2005 Doctor Who revival, Eccleston’s connection with the franchise has always been strained. He’s famously spoken out over on-set disagreements and frustrations with the production staff during his time on the show, leading to a soured relationship that’s kept from returning in any capacity, until now. “The Ninth Doctor Adventures” will finally see new material from his beloved turn as the reincarnating time traveler, but Eccleston remains vehemently opposed to reprising the character on TV.
Eccleston recently appeared on the UK talk show Lorraine as an ambassador for The Big Issue – a publication that leads initiatives fighting against poverty and homelessness. At the end of the interview, host Lorraine Kelly asked the actor about his return to his Doctor Who role with Big Finish’s audio adventures. Eccleston was complimentary of the experience so far, praising the work of writer Nicholas Briggs in particular (who also voices the Daleks and Cybermen on the TV show). When Kelly asked about the potential for an onscreen return of Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor, however, his response was blunt to say the least. “I know what you’re getting at Lorraine,” Eccleston said. “Only when Hell freezes over.”
Despite his apparent excitement over reprising the character in audio form, it sounds like Eccleston’s past clashes on the TV side are still keeping him away from any Doctor Who cameras. That’s unfortunate for fans who saw the Big Finish project as a hint of bigger things to come, but it’s also understandable given how muddied Eccleston’s relationship with the show has become since he left. For now, the Ninth Doctor will live on in voice alone.
Still, lovers of the Doctor Who revival’s early series have a lot to look forward to in the near future. John Barrowman’s return as Captain Jack Harkness in the upcoming holiday special “Revolution of the Daleks,” for instance, has garnered a lot of justified excitement. As the show goes on, the list of familiar faces possibly primed to return only grows. Sadly, Eccleston’s face just isn’t one of them.
