Doctor Who: Christopher Eccleston Interviewed by Fan

Christopher Eccleston may have only spent one season on Doctor Who, but he made a big impact. Recently, he was able to speak with one of those people he inspired about his upcoming series, The A-Word.

Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston is known for being quite a reticent fellow. He does not interview often, and is highly unlikely to discuss his time as the Doctor. It is simply the way Eccleston is – he looks forward instead of backwards, which is certainly understandable.

That reluctance to interview is what makes his taking time to chat with Doctor Who fan and aspiring filmmaker Gerard Groves so special. Groves identifies as autistic, and, as he became a Doctor Who fan during Eccleston’s tenure, being able to interview him about The A-Word, which focuses on autism, was quite the treat. In fact, this was the only interview that Eccleston did, aside from his Q&A for the BBC.

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Moments like these are part of why Doctor Who has such a large following. Yes, the scripts and creatures are excellent, and we get wrapped up in the adventures of the Doctor and his companions, but there is more to it. There is a very human element to the show and the characters, even if the Doctor is alien. There is an ability to relate, that, in a science fiction program, is relatively rare.

This can be seen when fans meet past members of the show. It is evident when one sees how Peter Capaldi truly enjoys the fans, and how he takes time for everyone. And it is also evident with how Eccleston took the time to be interviewed by an autistic teenager about his new show, one who fell in love with Doctor Who a decade ago when Eccleston helped bring the show back.

Next: Capaldi accepts award for Doctor Who cosplay gathering

Maybe Christopher Eccleston does not like to talk about his time on Doctor Who or the past in general, but his era made a tremendous impact on a young autistic lad. Hopefully, his new show can help inspire more people, autistic or not, to follow their dreams no matter what they may be.