Doctor Who : Eccleston question

Eccleston question

Just exactly who Christopher Eccleston have a clash with that made him quit the show so quickly?

Re: Eccleston question

There wasn't any real controversy and he never had the intent on staying on for a second series.

Re: Eccleston question

I saw previews of new show he was to be in back then; some kind of detective trying to find the murderer of a kid! I think Arthur even made an appearance!

- - http://scifiblogs3.blogspot.com/2011/08/children-of-rassilon-kapla.html -

- http://scifiblogs3.blogspot.com/2011/09/doctor-who-other-sci-fi-program-comments.html -

- - http://www.childrenofrassilon.com/doctor-who.html - -

- http://scifiblogs3.blogspot.com/2011/01/introduction-to-blakes-7.html - 'B7 & DW'

Re: Eccleston question

No on knows

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Re: Eccleston question

I don't think he specifically had a beef with anyone. I think he just didn't want to stay on the show for too long, and the experience he had on the set wasn't good enough to convince him to change his mind and stay for a second season.



Formerly sn939

Re: Eccleston question

This is a bit OT but Steve Moffat talks about why he wasn't in "The Day of the Doctor".

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-11-23/steven-moffat-finally-reveals-why-john-hurt-replaced-christopher-eccleston-in-the-doctor-who-50th-anniversary-special

______
You see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

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t had to be Doctors that still looked like their Doctors.


*beep* from Moffatt....

Why was Tom Baker in and Mcgann out of the special then?

All this "We had to work out what else to do" is rubbish too, Why was he in a panic over not having the 9th doctor when Paul *beep* Mcgann was right there?

Saying that John Hurt is brilliant, but stunt casting to make a crappy episode better is still stunt casting to cover very poor writing.

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Sounds like he was making decisions on the fly.

______
You see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

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That's Stephen Moffat

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Why was he in a panic over not having the 9th doctor when Paul *beep* Mcgann was right there?


Fighting in the time war would be completely out of character for the 8th Doctor as established by the Big Finish audios i.m.o, more to the point Hurt's a much bigger name than McGann was.

Actually, I read a rumour on Gallifreybase a few months ago (posted by someone with a history of posting correct rumors and spoilers months in advance(sometimes anyway)) that Moffat did consider approaching McGann as the War Doctor, but executives at the BBC blocked the idea, reasoning he wasn't a big enough name and pushing Moffat into using Eccleston or failing that a big name actor like Hurt.

No idea if that is true though.

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But didn't John Hurt show up at the end of Name of the Doctor way before Eccleston turned down Day of the Doctor?

JP

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Hurt filmed his scenes for NOTD at the same time as the 50th Anniversary was being filmed.

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But name of the doctor aired before Rose and Tennant signed on while eccelston was still negotiating.

JP

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my bad for some reason I thought second half of season 7 aired in February 2013 and Name of Doctor aired in March.....And Eccleston confirmed turning down while filming Thor 2 in April 2013 after Hurt already appeared. ....but if Name of Doctor aired in May and not March I am misremembering...thanks

JP

Re: Eccleston question

He's said it was three specific people he clashed with. It's fairly well-known that he and Keith Boak had a massive falling-out (many, many accusations that Boak was bullying extras and crew). There are reports he complained to Phil Collinson and was disappointed in the response, so it's possible (but not certain) that Phil might have been one of the three. The third, who knows? Possibly a BBC executive.

We know RTD was not one of the three, despite some people being desperate to believe otherwise, due to both men continuing to speak warmly about each other.

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With regards to Phil Collinson, is it not the case that the role of producer has been downgraded in the last couple of decades on UK TV?. Both Verity Lambert and Innes Lloyd would go on to have stellar careers as their names could attract big name actors, writers and directors to create projects such as The Naked Civil Servant, Minder and An Englishman Aboard to name just 3 high profile productions the pair produced. Nowadays it seems that producers are more like managers in a office. If it was the case that Collinson was failing to stand up to Boak's bullying then he was failing to do his job.

Re: Eccleston question


He's said it was three specific people he clashed with. It's fairly well-known that he and Keith Boak had a massive falling-out (many, many accusations that Boak was bullying extras and crew). There are reports he complained to Phil Collinson and was disappointed in the response, so it's possible (but not certain) that Phil might have been one of the three. The third, who knows? Possibly a BBC executive.
Just my opinion but if I would have to name three people at the top it would be RTD, Paul Collinson and Julie Gardner. Take that as you will.

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It's wrong. He's always praised RTD in interviews. As I believe has been stated earlier in this thread

1 mark deducted for not being Curse of Fenric. Insert 'The' into previous if you are Ant-Mac

Re: Eccleston question

But it can't have been RTD, and it almost certainly was Boak considering his legendary feud with Eccleston. Besides those three are not "at the top." There are several layers of people above them.

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But it can't have been RTD, and it almost certainly was Boak considering his legendary feud with Eccleston. Besides those three are not "at the top." There are several layers of people above them.
Maybe I'll get proven wrong although considering how those three ran the show I wouldn't be surprised if I was right.

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Re: Eccleston question

It's been rumored for years that John Barrowman's behavior on the set was one contributing factor.

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I said I'd feed you...I didn't say who to.

Re: Eccleston question

I read somewhere that Barrowman found Ecceleston to be a bit too intense for his liking. Perhaps given the 2 have different creative backgrounds, Barrowman mainly known for his work in musicals and Eccleston having made his name in gritty dramas perhaps there would be some friction.

Re: Eccleston question

Actually, rumor has it Barrowman was a little overtly sexual for his professional sensibilities.

Perhaps even to the extent alluded to in this famous song (abt 2 mins in):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7JWY_oYlps

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I said I'd feed you...I didn't say who to.

Re: Eccleston question


It's been rumored for years that John Barrowman's behavior on the set was one contributing factor.
I wouldn't read too much into that. Yeah he can be very annoying at times but I think there were other people Eccleston had bigger issues with.

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I don't know ecclestons a very straight up guy kind of reserved. Barrowman is defientely not that. In interviews I've never seen barowman say anything good about him and said tenant was better to be around so it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't like each other. But since barowman was written out at the end of the series I doubt that's why he quit

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There was something about in parting of the ways when he kissed them both in one take he kissed eccleston deeply and tackled him to the floor with it and kept kissing.

You can see why that would piss him off. I'm sure everyone just thinks its a funny joke but if a guy did that to a girl there'd be huge outrage.

Re: Eccleston question


I don't know ecclestons a very straight up guy kind of reserved.
It's not to say Eccleston isn't serious, he is serious about his work but considering he's said he had trouble with those at the top I think if Barrowman played a part it was a small one. Maybe someone should ask him the next time they interview?

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I've worked with Chris and he's a total clown. He takes his work seriously but fans really think he is the characters he plays!

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It's been rumored for years that John Barrowman's behavior on the set was one contributing factor.


To Eccleston leaving? Why? Barrowman left the same time as he did, dropping a role as massive as Doctor Who just because of some supporting actor who was half way out of the door seems liking cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Maybe Eccleston didn't have a deep connection to The Doctor. He was great but maybe not as emotionally invested as people like Tennant or Capaldi (and probably some Classic Who Doctors, I think Colin Baker?) who have been huge Doctor Who fans themselves already before their tenure. So thus when he had some issues with some of the higher-ups (definitely above Barrowman) it was the logical choice for him to step down.


Do you even know what honor is?
- A horse.

Re: Eccleston question

Perhaps RTD put him off from doing any more?

Why are you here if you haven't seen the movie yet?

Re: Eccleston question

From what I've always gathered from interviews, Chris only signed on for one series, and only because Russel was doing it. He'd never been a fan of the show, only watching for big events like regenerations, and wanted to get out before he got typecast. I really wish he would have stayed on for more, because I liked him in the role, but that also means that we might not have gotten David, who was brilliant in the role.

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and wanted to get out before he got typecast
That's the rubbish his agent put out the when he announced he was leaving. It wasn't true, said agent was fired/ sacked.

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That's the rubbish his agent put out the when he announced he was leaving. It wasn't true, said agent was fired/ sacked.

No, it was the BBC who issued the press release, not Chris' agent. The BBC retracted it and apologised. Chris is still with the same agent.

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Chris is still with the same agent.
Didn't Chris say he fired/sacked his agent? Either way that wasn't the reason he left.

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Didn't Chris say he fired/sacked his agent? Either way that wasn't the reason he left.


I think you're misremembering slightly. It was the BBC who released that statement (and later apologised for doing so), not his agent. He was with ITA then and still is.

You are quite right that it's not the reason he left.

Re: Eccleston question

Ok right ok.

Re: Eccleston question

All I know is:

It was Eccleston's Who that brought me into the Who-verse, and I was terribly disappointed when he didn't stay. Sure I loved Tennant eventually (and then got tired of his schtick), but I wanted more of Chris first.
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