Christopher Eccleston on why the Ninth Doctor won’t have a companion

A series of upcoming Big Finish audio adventures will give Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston space to explore the Ninth Doctor in stories that take place outside of the established canon. One of the most appealing things about Eccleston’s return to the role after over a decade away is that he’ll get the chance to show fans what it’s like when the Doctor is traveling alone.

Eccleston hasn’t been part of Doctor Who since he left the show in 2005. Though the Ninth Doctor regenerated at the end of his first and only season, fans have always speculated about where he’d been prior to meeting Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), and what adventures he’d had.

Now that Eccleston has signed on for the audio adventures, he’s able to do a deep dive into his character in bold new ways, as he explained in a recent interview with Doctor Who Magazine.

Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor will travel solo for now

Eccleston sees the lack of a companion as an opportunity to address one of the most fundamental truths about the Doctor: He’s alone.

"I remember when I decided to play the Doctor, when I decided to put myself forward for the role, I thought – and I think I’ve said this before – ‘Time Lord, falling through time. What’s the essential element? The essential element is that he’s never at home, he’s lonely.’ And I thought I could do that. Alongside his joy – this longing for home, this longing for companionship which is never quite fulfilled. In a way, that’s the human condition, isn’t it?"

Eccleston points to an audio adventure story where the Ninth Doctor will be confronted about traveling alone. “I’m going to be recording an episode shortly where he’s questioned by the Brigadier (played by Jon Culshaw) about why he’s travelling alone – and he shuts it down very firmly. So there may be stuff going forward where we address that.”

Unlike the other actors who have portrayed the Doctor, Eccleston’s story is the most incomplete. His departure was mired in controversy at the time, but enough time has passed that he’s willing to get back into the spirit of the story to offer fans some much-needed closure.

The Ninth Doctor’s adventures will be available from Big Finish beginning May 2021.

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h/t Radio Times