Eccleston comments on 50th anniversary special return

[The Wormhole]

Itisnotlogical wrote:

---

I'm extremely curious as to what so turned him off to the role.

As I understand, there was behind the scenes bullshit going on during season 1 which Eccleston couldn't tolerate. That and there was a director he didn't get along with at all.

[Mr Awe]

I would also imagine that the large volume of work and relatively low pay (BBC TV role versus film role) would be a large turn off for an actor more used to motion picture industry!

At least he made it through an entire season, unlike Geneviève Bujold in ST: Voyager!

Mr Awe

[PorthosShadow]

The Wormhole wrote:

---

As I understand, there was behind the scenes bullshit going on during season 1 which Eccleston couldn't tolerate. That and there was a director he didn't get along with at all.

I can understand that but since his departure the forces behind the show have changed. Also, he wouldn't be returning for a series commitment. This is just a one shot aniversary thing so maybe he's just bitter.

[Lonemagpie]

The Wormhole wrote:

---

As I understand, there was behind the scenes bullshit going on during season 1 which Eccleston couldn't tolerate. That and there was a director he didn't get along with at all.

Also, IIRC, his father was ill at the time, and the DW shooting schedule didn't allow for a lot of family free time

[Saul]

According to deleted information on Blogger Who that was reposted on Bleeding Cool he might actually be in this but as of yet in a capacity that is unknown.

[Lonemagpie]

Saul wrote:

---

According to deleted information on Blogger Who that was reposted on Bleeding Cool he might actually be in this but as of yet in a capacity that is unknown.

My gut instinct is that he will, actually - I know the show's not at all special to him but I also know he's not quite as against it as people think - a year or two back he did say he expected to eventually do "some of those radio things", meaning Big Finish (if licences allow someday).

I certainly wouldn't particularly surprised for him to do a voiceover role or narration.

[Mr. Adventure]

Lonemagpie wrote:

---

a year or two back he did say he expected to eventually do "some of those radio things", meaning Big Finish (if licences allow someday)

"Oh Rose. Look. A cyberman. Oh no."

"And when you make out the check there's no "E" at the end of Eccleston."

[intrinsical]

Saul wrote:

---

According to deleted information on Blogger Who that was reposted on Bleeding Cool he might actually be in this but as of yet in a capacity that is unknown.

Yup, I saw that. No idea how accurate it is, but they claimed all doctor actors who are still alive will be in the anniversary special.

[MacLeod]

^Well if that rumour were true and all eight actors who are alive were in it, would the other Doctors all defer to the fourth, after all more often or not in previous multi-doctor stories they tended to defer to the first doctor.

[Rarewolf]

Lonemagpie wrote:

---

I certainly wouldn't particularly surprised for him to do a voiceover role or narration.

I wouldn't be surprised if they got all of them in to do voiceovers. They could leave it late in the day before even asking them. I believe they didn't always ask John Lesson if he was free until the final dubs were due!


Also Big Finish are working with AudioGo next year to do an 11 part Destiny Of The Doctor series, so it will be interesting to see who they get for the 9th release. Its the first post era 9th Doctor story regardless IIRC.

[Allyn Gibson]

ReinWolf wrote:

---

Also Big Finish are working with AudioGo next year to do an 11 part Destiny Of The Doctor series, so it will be interesting to see who they get for the 9th release. Its the first post era 9th Doctor story regardless IIRC.

Second, actually. The first post-2005 ninth Doctor story was in IDW's The Forgotten -- the ninth Doctor and Rose visited the Western Front during the Christmas truce and almost ran into Jack out of order.

As for the Destiny of the Doctor audio, I think Noel Clarke is the most likely reader.

[The Mirrorball Man]

MacLeod wrote:

---

^Well if that rumour were true and all eight actors who are alive were in it, would the other Doctors all defer to the fourth, after all more often or not in previous multi-doctor stories they tended to defer to the first doctor.

Which doesn't make much sense: why should adults defer to a teenager?

[Professor Zoom]

The Mirrorball Man wrote:

---

Which doesn't make much sense: why should adults defer to a teenager?

This. I've never understood that.

At least in Time Crash, 10 was the more mature one... well, as mature at 10 could ever be...

[Captaindemotion]

I suppose in The Five Doctors, they all remembered being One and knew that he was a fairly impressive character. Whereas, for example, even though Three remembered being Two, he didn't seem to like Two and vice-versa. Four wasn't involved, so they couldn't kowtow to him. And Five was still quite new at being Five, so perhaps didn't have the confidence to dominate the whole thing.

But yeah, generally it doesn't make a lot of sense.

[The Borgified Corpse]

My understanding of "The Five Doctors" is that, as a result of being picked up by the time scoop, each of the Doctors was temporarily robbed of all specific memories they had from each previous incarnation. So, taking that into account, once you do the math, the 1st Doctor is actually the oldest since he's the only one that can actually remember the 1st 400 or so years of his life.

Still, it might be funny if the 11th Doctor tries to take charge in the anniversary special by noting that he's the oldest, only for everyone else to burst into hysterics at the notion.

IMO, if Eccleston was really sick of being asked to do a reunion special, I think the quickest, most painless remedy would be for him to just do one! Then we'll all get it out of our systems! (Honestly, I think there would be far less fevered anticipation if they had already given us a proper multi-Doctor episode already, even if it were only 2 Doctors. But then, I suppose this fevered anticipation is exactly what they would want.)

Mr Awe wrote:

---

I would also imagine that the large volume of work and relatively low pay (BBC TV role versus film role) would be a large turn off for an actor more used to motion picture industry!

At least he made it through an entire season, unlike Geneviève Bujold in ST: Voyager!

IIRC, Bujold's departure had as much to do with Berman & Paramount as it did with Bujold herself. I've watched the deleted scenes with her on the Season 1 DVD and they are pretty awful. She just couldn't quite muster the commanding presence necessary to be a Star Trek captain, particularly the 1st major female captain.