Christopher Eccleston says his new Doctor Who stories will “address” why he doesn’t have a companion

Ahead of the highly anticipated The Ninth Doctor Adventures, Eccleston spoke to Doctor Who Magazine about the series.

In the interview, he revealed that the audio adventures will be set before The Ninth Doctor meets Rose (played by Billie Piper) in the TV show Doctor Who, but hinted at a further in-universe explanation for his character's loneliness.

“So far, we’ve only had temporary assistants that he meets within the adventures," he told Doctor Who Magazine. "And that’s a very positive thing for me, coming back to the character. It gives me more room to explore him. I’m going to be recording an episode shortly where he’s questioned by the Brigadier (played by Jon Culshaw) about why he’s travelling alone – and he shuts it down very firmly. So there may be stuff going forward where we address that."

He continued: “I remember when I decided to play the Doctor, when I decided to put myself forward for the role, I thought – and I think I’ve said this before – ‘Time Lord, falling through time. What’s the essential element? The essential element is that he’s never at home, he’s lonely.’ And I thought I could do that. Alongside his joy – this longing for home, this longing for companionship which is never quite fulfilled. In a way, that’s the human condition, isn’t it?”

Eccleston has not played the character since leaving the TV series after one season back in 2005. The announcement that he would reprise the role was greeted with enthusiasm from fans – particularly since Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor is set to face the Cybermen, an iconic villain that the Ninth Doctor never got to meet during his time on BBC One’s Doctor Who.

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The Ninth Doctor Adventures will be released by Big Finish between May 2021 and February 2022, with volumes available as physical purchases and digital downloads via the Big Finish website. If you’re looking for something to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Sci-Fi hub for all the latest news.