Christopher Eccleston is excited about returning to his role as the Ninth Doctor in the new Doctor Who audio adventures. His tongue-in-cheek joke about how enmeshed he is with the iconic character says it all: “I’m currently sleeping in the TARDIS.”
In an interview with The Big Issue, Eccleston talks about how easy it was to step back into the role of the Ninth Doctor, a role that kickstarted the franchise anew back in 2005. “Within minutes, it all came flooding back,” he said. “How to do it, how I like to play him, how I like to work, the joy of it. It was all there.”
Eccleston reprises his iconic role in Big Finish’s upcoming Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures, which will play out in four parts with 12 new stories that feature Eccleston back at the helm of the TARDIS.
Christopher Eccleston explains the joys of returning to Doctor Who
Eccleston offers high praise for the writers behind the audio dramas. “These writers are top, top drawer…I’m amazed none of these ideas have been or will be screened.”
Working on the adventures, it wasn’t long before Eccleston stepped right back into the role. “Suddenly the physicality, the energy levels I employed – which are very much mine, I think – came back. Tom Baker said it’s not an acting role. And it’s true. It’s partly yourself, partly the writers.”
Though Eccleston has been away from the franchise for over 15 years, he understands the affinity the fans have for the show and his character. “I’ve always retained a deep affection for playing the role and what it means to be people. I disconnected from the politics and the lies and the bulls**t, but not my relationship with the people who love the show.”
"From day one I was approached in the street by fans. And that’s continued. Not a day of my life has gone by without me having to interact with people who are fans of Doctor Who. I’ve always embraced them, literally and figuratively, and they me."
The first three entries in The Ninth Doctor Adventures series are already out. The rest will be released between now and February of 2022.
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