Doctor Who's Christopher Eccleston is “entirely open” to a Master or River Song crossover with the Ninth Doctor

The actor made the comments while fielding fan questions in a Big Finish YouTube video ahead of his return to the character in the highly anticipated The Ninth Doctor Adventures in May.

Asked if he would like his character to meet either of the iconic Doctor Who figures, Eccleston admitted that, while his knowledge of the pair was limited, he would definitely be up for the idea.

"I don't really know much about The Master and River Song, but my Doctor is happy to meet anybody, so I'm entirely open," he said.

During the video, Eccleston also answered a question about what made him return to the character after such a long gap, explaining that the deciding factor was that it was paid work during a pandemic – even if "it might not be fashionable to say it".

He added, "After that, it was the quality of the writing. It's always scripts and writers that attract me to projects and the quality of Big Finish's writers is so high, it's been a joyous experience."

Eccleston has not played the character since leaving the TV series after one season back in 2005 and when his return was announced back in August 2020, it was greeted with tremendous enthusiasm from fans.

In the series, 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.

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.