I think the point he's making is that they were one and the same thing. As he says, "his face didn't fit".

I think it's right to have a chip on your shoulder when you see things that need changing.

You're astoundingly ignorant.

Every. Single. Time. He said himself he has no ill feeling towards the show or the character. He did that wedding proposal thing last year in character for some fans. He's embraced the role when kids have asked him about it. He had some issues behind the scenes working on the show, but he still loved it and enjoyed playing the role. And he comes across as very humble, honest and likeable in interviews (about Who or otherwise). For heaven's sake DB, just quit this nonsense of yours and give it a rest when you're talking rubbish.

Only a try? Must do better. Glad you got it, though.

(btw, sarcasm not directed at CE).


I should have known.

I totally agree with him that their is a lack of writing for people of colour. I'm a bit tired of hearing the "role should go to the best person who could do the job" excuse.

Part of being an actor is that you should be able to change your accent for the role if necessary so the whole accent thing is irrelevant really.

Sometimes people just don't get along well and it seems that RD and CE were not a match made in heaven.

FWIW, I think this is BS. And Yes, I was there!

(No I wasn't.)

So the best person shouldn't be chosen?

He also hung up on a journalist because she dared to ask what he thought of Peter Capaldi, decided not to appear in Doctor Who's 50th anniversary (not even recording a birthday message for Behind The Lens), constantly denied he will ever return to the role and refused to answer any questions about the show just because HE doesn't like it.

This again? The journalist was warned/told not to ask about Doctor Who. She did, albeit in a roundabout sort of way, and he ended the interview. To be honest, given she was told it'd be best to avoid asking, well, she should've stuck to that. But she couldn't resist, and he ended the chat. Fair play to him, IMO.


He met with producers for a meeting to at least discuss it. He then decided, for whatever reasons, not to join in. Totally his decision, and you should accept that. He wasn't contracted to appear, he never had to appear, it was his choice, stop being so caught up in your nonsense and get over it.


Totally fine, and up to him. He doesn't have to, and doesn't want to. Respect that!


And? So? Yeah? Point? He doesn't wanna talk about it - that's up to him. That's fair enough. Stop being so demanding; these attitudes towards him (this 'me me me' kind of toys-out-the-pram throwings) are unhealthy. He can do, say, whatever he damn well pleases. He's not under any obligation to succumb to the demand of a few crying fans who hate him for no good reason. Seriously, get over it and move on. 'Cos he evidently has and good for him.

And going back to your original post: "I couldn't care less about why he left the show anymore because it's clear he didn't care about it in the first place anyway. By far the rudest and most unlikeable person to play the Doctor."

He did care about it. He actively messaged Russell asking about the role, so he was interested, and then enjoyed playing the part. He's said recently he doesn't think ill of the show or the character, and hopes to be remembered as the Doctor for heaven's sake -- if that's him not caring about the role then god knows what is!

Phew, sorry. /endrant

Is the best person always Caucasian then? 😏

He's every right to hang up on a journalist who phoned him up to ask questions.
Leave the bloody guy alone.
It's bad enough as a member of the public being pestered by cold calls and companies doing surveys. Imagine what it's like as a celebrity with journalists trying to get a scoop as well. I would have probably told them to F off.

He's not obliged to do everything Doctor Who related that's expected of him. It's his life and he should be free to do whatever he wants without being criticized for that decision. His contract finished over 10 years ago, he might want to get on with his life.

He was just talking about Doctor Who in a Radio Times interview, for goodness sake. He is clearly willing to discuss the series and I suspect like Tom Baker he may be happier to be associated with it as time goes on.


Rubbish. If he declines to answer questions about Doctor Who it's usually because he's talking to the press about something he's been doing recently, and he probably feels it's more professional of him to use the time promoting that.

Exactly! She was told before hand not to ask him about who! so what does she do? asks him about who! serves her right IMHO!
And also on a side note CE has stated in a radio interview (Graham norton i think) that he will sign anything for fans and also helped a fan proposed whislt pretending to be the Doctor

I can understand this statement. I know someone who has a chip on their shoulder about class. As I always tell her, I left class system the year my primary school labelled classes years instead. I also tell her that someone elses prejudices are their's not yours, snobbery is the snobs person's problem, not the poor person. I am no worse than a male because of my gender. I am not a lesser person because my mum worked as in a factory. I know that I am not a better person than gay people or black people. I am no better or no worse than anybody else. No one makes me feel inferior because I know that I am not. Rosa Parks was right not to give up her seat.

I have never sensed snobbery and I have lived in Posh Cheltenham, Bath and Exeter. I have worked in St John's Wood and Stokes Croft in Bristol and I have never allowed anyone to think that they are better than me because they are not. Life is what you make of it. I know many of my pals from school who have got top jobs after going to some of the counry's best University's and they all went to the same local comprehensive school as I did. Two of them were even offered a scholership so it just goes to show that the cream always rises to the top.

However, what Chrissy means here is not related the whole of British society at all, he was talking within the world of television, film and theatre. That's what he meant when he was talking about the culture of Britan, as the arts are a huge reflection of a countries culture. The Daily Mail has always been an elitist paper, and it would suit them down to the ground to think that them and their stuck up friends can make the whole of society think the majority who are the working class, are less human to them. We are all flesh & blood. I didn't also like that comment that he was uneducated. This gets my goat because it is the law that child has to go through compulsary eductation, so no one is uneducated.

Also I do not see why they would drop him because of his accent after an entire season of speaking with a northern accent. Phil Collinson is from Salford, Mal Young is from Liverpool, Russell T Davies has a walsh accent, and the character of Rose had a cockney accent. Moffat is from Scotland. Amy and Peter Capaldi also have far stronger regional accents than Chrissy.

It certainly wasn't RD that CE didn't get along with. They were friends before the DW revival, they'd worked together on previous projects, most notably Second Coming, and they massively respected each other's work. That was one of the reasons why RD wanted Chris for the part, and one of the reasons why Chris took it on - because he wanted to work with RD again. It was (one of?) the directors and/or producers that he didn't get on with.

But it's hardly like anything personal happened to him whilst filming the show. I'd understand if he'd been attacked but he hadn't, it was just some issues he disagreed with. To hang up on a journalist because of that (something that is neither her or Peter Capaldi's fault) is rude, unprofessional and unfair.




He was probably just trying to be polite (why doesn't he do that with journalists?). Christopher Eccleston could have shown some respect for the show which made him more of a household name by at least recording a message for Behind The Lens.




I think he should at least leave it open. I think it's disrespectful and insulting to us Whovians when he denies completely ever coming back. It was us Whovians watching the show who made him more of a household name.



Again, I'd understand if he'd been attacked or something on set but there is absolutely no reason why he can't be asked about it and if he didn't want to be asked about the role for years to come, he shouldn't have took it on in the first place.


And going back to your original post: "I couldn't care less about why he left the show anymore because it's clear he didn't care about it in the first place anyway. By far the rudest and most unlikeable person to play the Doctor."


I believe he has also said he only took on the role because Russell T Davies was writing the show. He didn't care about the show or the role he was taking on, only the fact RTD was behind it.

No he doesn't. Being interviewed by the press IS a part of his job and hanging up on the journalist was just unprofessional.

Yeah right, it was probably a interview from 2005.

Wouldn't hold your breath on that.




Except he never answers questions about Doctor Who now, which is practically a insult to this fandom.

Does it? Did all the children from your comprehensive get the same opportunities? Proportionally, did as many of them go to university as, say, from a top private school? How many of the private school kids went on to become top CEOs, compared to those from your school?

It's like saying, "I'm a woman in engineering, so obviously there's no bias against women in engineering."

Privilege is a matter of degree, not absolutes. It's nice to think that one's progress is solely down to their own motivation, but the fact remains that other people's choices are every bit as significant. You worked hard for what you have, and you were lucky that no significant barriers were put in your way, which is great. Not everyone is so lucky.

Being interviewed by the press is part of THIS job. Being interviewed about Doctor Who is part of an EARLIER job. Professionalism is knowing the difference.

Practically an insult, apart from not being insulting in any way.

You have won the thread.

Nope. Acting is his job.
Taking part in press promotion and interviews is an additional part that he might sometimes have to do, when he agrees to it. Being phoned up and asked about stuff completely unrelated to what he'd actually agreed to talk about is not part of his job. The only person being unprofessional here is the journalist.

You seem to think that CE owes fandom something. Why?

The guy is an actor who has shown, many times, that he's quite happy to talk about his role in Doctor Who ten years ago. He's been quite happy to engage with the fans, with the press, with anyone on the matter of Doctor Who - but only when it is appropriate.
Surely this is more than fair?

He owes us nothing, the fans have absolutely no right to demand his attention, and to do so is grossly insulting. CE has not insulted fandom at all, it is fans like you who have completely unfairly insulted him.

I think you guys as well as the press have missed what he actually said and are making it up.

I will paraphrase to keep it simpler - I did my usual northern accent as I don't think have a posh voice is needed for almost everything I do. You don't have to be posh as an actor. You can use your own accent if you like.

*and lets not forget that RTD had the "lots of planets...." line , you guys are familiar with RTD and how he directs, writes and produces right?