Back in 2005, Doctor Who returned to the air after a hiatus with a new revival continuing the long-running series. And of course, a new Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston. While the Ninth Doctor’s stay on the show was infamously short, with Eccleston playing the role for just one season, his commitment to the role helped bring the show back from the brink and into the 21st century. At long last, Eccleston will return to the role for the first time in 15 years, albeit not in the way you may expect.
BBC studios and Big Finish announced a new audio drama series centered around the Ninth Doctor, played by Eccleston. The audio series will consist of four box sets that will release in 2021 and 2022, with the first arriving next May. According to Nerdist, Eccleston had this to say: “After 15 years it will be exciting to revisit the Ninth Doctor’s world, bringing back to life a character I love playing.”
Almost a year ago at New York Comic Con, Eccleston expressed interest in returning to Doctor Who. Still, this news comes as a shock, as it didn’t seem like it would happen anytime soon. The return is simply to the world of Doctor Who and not the show itself, so we won’t see a team up with current Doctor Jodie Whittaker anytime in the near future. But perhaps if the audio drama does well, that future may change. After all, he is The Doctor.
