Christopher Eccleston: BBC needed to reinvent Doctor Who
The actor played the Ninth Doctor and is a fan of the new Time Lord.
Christopher Eccleston has shared his approval of Jodie Whittaker taking over the leading role in Doctor Who, and said that the programme needed a shake-up.
Eccleston, who played the Time Lord when the sci-fi series was revived in 2005, has also said that he has avoided going to fan conventions over the years because he likes to rely on acting to earn a living.
The 53-year-old actor told ITV’s Lorraine that he is pleased with Whittaker’s casting, and added: “The BBC have gone as far as they have with skinny white men, it’s time.
He added: “We did a play together at the National Theatre – a posh, classical play – about four years ago.
“So there were two Doctors on stage.”
Asked if he attends sci-fi conventions, Eccleston said: “I’ve never done conventions.
“I know there’s a lot of money there, but I’ve always wanted to just earn my living by acting, and that’s not a judgment on people who do them … it’s just the way I am.”
Eccleston played the Ninth Doctor in the hit series before David Tennant took over the role of the time-travelling extra-terrestrial being, ahead of Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi.
Broadchurch star Whittaker, Capaldi’s successor, is the first woman to play the Doctor.
