Eccleston: It was tragic that I didn’t play the Doctor for longer
He said: “The first series of any show is always very difficult to sell to the audience, and I’m very proud that [we got] through what was a really badly organised and certainly badly produced first series … They certainly didn’t acknowledge it at the time and I wished they would’ve done, because then things would’ve worked out very differently. But I’m very proud that I managed to find a way through the chaos they imposed, and get us picked up.”
Asked if there’s any regret that he didn’t stay on for another season: “There’s always regret when you play a role like that, because what you do is you – I watched it back and I thought, OK, next time don’t do this, do that, you know, calibrate the performance.”
He continues: “It was kind of tragic for me that I didn’t play him for longer. He’s a beautiful character and I have a great deal of professional pride [in it] and had I done a second season, there would’ve been a marked improvement in my performance. I was learning new skills in terms of playing light comedy, etc, etc. I was not known for light comedy, and again production did not allow for that.
“It’s very important on the first series that you make a very informed and intelligent choice – even if it means breaking the budget – about getting the first director who is going to set the tone for the season, for the way the actors relate, and that did not happen. Disaster.”
He adds: “But the show has survived. Thank God! And Capaldi, and Matt, and David – are just brilliant.”
Hear the interview below:
