Courtesy of a report by The Radio Times, Christopher Eccleston has confirmed his involvement in Doctor Who’s 60th-anniversary special – it’s just not in the way you think. Speaking at a fan event, the 58-year-old actor confirmed that he had “recorded something very special for the 60th anniversary.”
He later added that he had the opportunity to work with David Warner – an actor whose roles include The Omen, Straw Dogs, The Thirty Nine Steps, and Titanic. Eccleston described Warner as an “incredible actor” and hails the 60th-anniversary special, which airs in November 2023, as his “favourite.”
Eccleston, who portrayed the Ninth Doctor during Doctor Who’s first series in 2005, teased fans that they would “have to wait, but it’s gonna be worth the wait, because David Warner is extraordinary. And if any actor should have been the Doctor, it would have been David.”
David Warner has made one physical appearance in Doctor Who to date – starring alongside Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor and Jenna Coleman’s Clara in the seventh series episode “Cold War” – set on a Russian submarine terrorised by a rogue Ice Warrior. He played Professor Grisenko.
Warner has previously appeared in the Doctor Who Unbound – a series of audio plays produced by Big Finish that explore a collection of “What if…?” scenarios. Warner portrayed an alternative version of Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor in a story called “Sympathy for the Devil.”
As for the upcoming 60th-anniversary special – FlickLuster reported that Eccleston had ruled out returning for any future multi-Doctor stories – and described his ninth incarnation of the Doctor as “a one-man band.”
“So he doesn’t work with other Doctors. If you want me back, you’d get me on my own.” he continued. For more Doctor Who content, take a look at Flickluster’s review for “Legend of the Sea Devils.”