Christopher Eccleston

Christopher Eccleston (born on 16 February 1964 in Salford, Lancashire) is a British stage, television and film actor, best known for his roles in several high profile "prestige" films and television series.

Doctor Who

In March 2004, it was announced that Eccleston was to play the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in the revival of the legendary BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, which started airing in March 2005. The series executive producer and writer Russell T. Davies has said that Eccleston was the first choice for the part. Despite this, the British tabloid press ran reports that Bill Nighy had been offered the role first, but declined.

Related Topics:
March 2004 - Ninth incarnation - The Doctor - Science fiction television - Doctor Who - March 2005 - Executive producer - Writer - Russell T. Davies - British - Tabloid press - Bill Nighy

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Eccleston has the distinction of being the first actor to play the Doctor who was actually born after the start of the original television series; he was born two weeks after the famous first Dalek story was first broadcast in the UK.

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On March 30, 2005, the BBC released a statement, ostensibly from Eccleston, saying that he had decided to leave the role after just one series, owing to fears that he would become typecast. On April 4, the BBC revealed that Eccleston's "statement" had been falsely attributed and released without his consent. The BBC admitted that they had broken an agreement made in January not to disclose publicly the fact that he only intended to do one season. The statement had been made after journalists made queries to the press office.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4410943.stm Eccleston's one-year tenure makes him either the shortest or second shortest-serving Doctor to date, depending on how one counts the tenure of Paul McGann, who, while the "official" Doctor for approximately nine years, only appeared in the 1996 Doctor Who television movie. Eccleston's role as the Doctor was taken over by David Tennant at the end of the last episode of the 2005 series, The Parting of the Ways.

Related Topics:
March 30 - 2005 - Typecast - April 4 - Paul McGann - 1996 - ''Doctor Who'' television movie - David Tennant - The Parting of the Ways

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On June 11 2005 during a BBC radio interview, when asked if he had enjoyed working on Doctor Who, Eccleston responded by saying, "Mixed, but that's a long story."

Related Topics:
June 11 - 2005 - BBC radio - Doctor Who

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In July 2004 a poll of industry experts, conducted by Radio Times magazine, voted Eccleston the 19th Most Powerful Person in Television Drama.

Related Topics:
July 2004 - Radio Times

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In June 2005 it was announced at the Cannes Film Festival that he had signed to appear in a British-made sci-fi romantic comedy called Double Life, about a man who thinks he loves twin sisters. It has been billed as a tale of love and obsession" and will be set in Budapest. The film will be directed by Joe Ahearne (who directed Eccleston in Doctor Who) and is being produced by author Lynda La Plante's company Cougar Films.

Related Topics:
Joe Ahearne - Doctor Who - Lynda La Plante

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