There is little doubt that the awesome revival of the Doctor Who series was kickstarted by the Ninth Doctor, who was first introduced in 2005 and ended the show's 16-year hiatus. After all, the incarnation of the Time Lord was portrayed by Christopher Eccleston, who was startingly different from all the previous incarnations.
Sadly, Eccleston only lasted for one season before he decided to step away from the role, citing numerous reasons for his departure. However, that is about to change as BBC and Big Finish have confirmed that Eccleston will return as the Ninth Doctor in a new audio series.
The new Doctor Who audio series was announced by BBC, which revealed that Christopher Eccleston has agreed to reprise his role as the Ninth Doctor. The series, titled The Ninth Doctor Adventures, will feature 12 brand-new adventures featuring a full cast which may include his companions Rose Tyler, Adam Mitchell and Captain Jack Harkness.
The adventures will be released by Big Finish in four box sets, the first volume of which is already expected to be available in May next year.
This is truly exciting news for fans who felt that they didn't get enough of the Ninth Doctor considering that he only appeared in one series. Although the incarnation of the Time Lord has been the focus of several comic books and even showed up in one Doctor Who Christmas special through stock footage, Whovians have been hoping to see him in action again.
Needless to say, Christopher Eccleston is just as excited to be returning as the beloved character. "After 15 years it will be exciting to revisit the Ninth Doctor's world, bringing back to life a character I love playing," Eccleston said in a statement.
The return of the Ninth Doctor may seem like a sudden thing but it was revealed by Big Finish Chairman Jason Heigh-Ellery that they have been trying to get Christopher Eccleston to do the audio series for some time.
"I first talked to Christopher about returning to the role of the Doctor at a fan convention in February this year. Christopher said he was enjoying meeting the fans and was pleased that his Doctor was remembered so fondly. I am so pleased that Christopher has decided to return to the role with us - and I'm excited to welcome him to the Big Finish family as we discover the new adventures of the Ninth Doctor," Heigh-Ellery said.
The first volume of The Ninth Doctor Adventures is currently available for pre-order on the Big Finish website. It will be released in May 2021.
