Doctor Who’s Christopher Eccleston details his decision to reprise the iconic role after 16 YEARS 

Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston has revealed he decided to reprise his role as the titular Time Lord as he’s ‘always had a great love’ for the character.

The actor, 57, who played the Doctor for a single series in 2005, has returned to the part for a series of Big Finish audio dramas, and explained it ‘wasn’t the right time’ when he was approached previously to replay the character.

Despite his short-lived stint in the TARDIS, Christopher is still hailed for bringing Who back to prominence when the show was revived 16 years ago, and also saw the introduction of his much-loved companion Rose Tyler.

He’s back! Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston has revealed he decided to reprise his role as the titular Time Lord as he’s ‘always had a great love’ for the character

Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine, Christopher admitted he decided to return to the part as he felt now is the ‘right time’ to revisit the character.

He explained he was impressed by the scripts that had been written for the audio dramas, but also accepted the job as he was an actor who needed ‘paid work.’

Christopher said: ‘I’d been asked on a few occasions, but it wasn’t the right time because of various things about where I was in my personal life and professional life. And then it became the right time.

‘First of all, I mean, it’s not a fashionable thing to say – and because we’re all English, we don’t talk about these things – but I’m an actor, and the way I pay my mortgage and support my children in by acting. So it’s paid work.

Exciting: The actor has returned to the part for the first time in 16 years, for a series of Big Finish audio dramas (pictured in 2019)

Exciting: The actor has returned to the part for the first time in 16 years, for a series of Big Finish audio dramas (pictured in 2019)

‘Secondly, as I’ve always said, I have a great love for the character. I’ve always said that.’

Christopher left the role of Doctor Who after appearing for just one series, despite being praised by fans for her performance as the Time Lord haunted by the destruction of his home planey.

The series gripped viewers with the return of the infamous Daleks, the debut of Captain Jack (played by John Barrowman) and the Doctor’s blossoming romance with Rose Tyler.

Legendary: Despite only playing The Doctor for a single series in 2005, Christopher is still hailed for bringing Who back to prominence (pictured with Billie Piper as Rose Tyler)

Legendary: Despite only playing The Doctor for a single series in 2005, Christopher is still hailed for bringing Who back to prominence (pictured with Billie Piper as Rose Tyler)

But the end of series one saw Christopher’s Doctor regenerate, with David Tennant taking over the role for the second series in 2006.

Since his departure the actor has candidly revealed that he was battling anorexia during filming for the sci-fi drama, and was praised for fans for bravely revealing his mental health struggles.

Writing in his book I Love The Bones Of You, he said: ‘Many times I’ve wanted to reveal that I’m a lifelong anorexic and dysmorphic.

‘I never have. I always thought of it as a filthy secret, because I’m Northern, because I’m male and because I’m working-class.’

The father-of-two revealed his anorexia was prevalent during his spell on the BBC drama, adding: ‘The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor.

‘People love the way I look in that series, but I was very ill. The reward for that illness was the part. And therein lies the perpetuation of the whole sorry situation.’

Tough: Since his departure the actor has candidly revealed that he was battling anorexia during filming for the sci-fi drama

Tough: Since his departure the actor has candidly revealed that he was battling anorexia during filming for the sci-fi drama

Hard: He revealed his anorexia was prevalent during his spell on the BBC drama, adding: 'The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor'

Hard: He revealed his anorexia was prevalent during his spell on the BBC drama, adding: ‘The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor’

Christopher will reprise his role for a series of Big Finish audio dramas, with the first released in May 2021.

In a dream clash for die-hard fans, The Ninth Doctor will come face-to-face with the Cybermen for the first time in a story set before he meets Rose in the TV timeline.

The audio series will also see the Time Lord will join forces with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, who was a fixture of the classic series from the 60s to the 80s.

Fans got a brief glimpse of Nine during Who’s 50th Anniversary back in 2013, but the short cameo was an archive clip from Christopher’s series on the show.

Dramatic: The Big Finish series will see the Ninth Doctor come face-to-face with the Cybermen for the first time, will be released beginning in May 2021

Dramatic: The Big Finish series will see the Ninth Doctor come face-to-face with the Cybermen for the first time, will be released beginning in May 2021