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'Doctor Who' Season 11: Don't Expect the 9th Doctor to Turn Up

BBC

Christopher Eccleston’s 9th Doctor would probably be delighted to see that his future self becomes a woman, but don’t expect him to ever meet Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor on Doctor Who.

In an interview published with The Guardian on Monday, Eccleston opened up yet again about his tenuous exit from Doctor Who, saying that the whole ordeal “almost destroyed” his career. We’re more likely to see a Sontaran 14th Doctor than we are to see Eccleston pick up his sonic screwdriver once more.

Alongside then newcomer Billie Piper as Rose Tyler, Christopher Eccleston is responsible for relaunching Doctor Who in 2005 when he played the 9th incarnation of the Time Lord. Eccleston often cites tough working conditions as a reason for his departure after only a single season. But what happened after was the real problem: “I gave them a hit show and I left with dignity and then they put me on a blacklist,” Eccleston told The Guardian, referring to how the BBC made it increasingly difficult for him to work on British television and film. “I was abandoned, vilified in the tabloid press and blacklisted.”

It would appear that he’s had every reason to be this salty for so long.

Christopher Eccleston as the 9th Doctor on 'Doctor Who'.

BBC

Eccleston gently trolled Inverse last May, saying that he’d return to Doctor Who for the 100th anniversary, which will happen in 2063 when he’s 99 years old.

Eccleston’s always been unapologetically honest, and his new comments to The Guardian are no different. He revealed that his agent advised him to seek work in America: “‘The BBC regime is against you. You’re going to have to get out of the country and wait for regime change.’”

He also opened up about how much he hated working on maligned Western blockbusters like Thor: The Dark World and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

“Working on something like GI Joe was horrendous,” Eccleston said. “I just wanted to cut my throat every day. And Thor? Just a gun in your mouth.”

Thankfully, Eccleston has found better work in a variety of other more suitable roles like in HBO’s The Leftovers.

Christopher Eccleston as he appears in 'The Leftovers' Season 3.

HBO 

Supposedly, Eccleston was charitable enough to offer former Doctor Who showrunner Stephen Moffat a personalized congratulations back in July 2017 when Moffat’s tenure on the show ended. But that’s about as nice as we’ll ever see him get towards Doctor Who or the BBC.

Doctor Who Season 11 might have a lot going on, but it certainly won’t have a Time Lord with a Northern accent wearing a leather jacket and boots.

Doctor Who returns for Season 11 sometime in October 2018.

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