Although Christopher Eccleston has opened himself again as much as the world of Doctor Who in recent times—attending conventions, returning to play the Ninth Doctor in audio dramas, and on the whole permitting himself to truly speak about the collection in an prolonged capability for the primary time in over a decade—he’s long remained steadfast towards truly returning to the TV collection in any respect. Until now, it appears.

Speaking just lately on the Supernova convention in Australia (through Screenrant), Eccleston opened up about one explicit means he may see himself coming again to the collection: his steadfast perception that the Ninth Doctor works finest as the solely Doctor round.

“I’ve never been a fan of multi-Doctor stories. You know, when I worked on the series I had really strong ideas—surprise, surprise—about what works and what doesn’t, and I always think that multi-Doctor stories are a bit of a cash-in, and a bit of exploitation,” Eccleston mentioned. “Creatively they never work for me. … The Ninth Doctor in particular is a one-man band, definitely. So, he doesn’t work with other Doctors. If you want me back, you get me on my own.”

Now we all know at the very least why it was all the time going to be a doomed prospect for Steven Moffat to attempt to get Eccleston again for an look in Doctor Who’s almost-disastrous fiftieth anniversary particular. It additionally is sensible, particularly for an actor who has made clear simply how badly his relationship with the manufacturing staff behind Doctor Who had turn into by the point he’d determined to depart the collection, regardless of a permanent ardour for the character.

Multi-Doctor tales are enjoyable for us as an viewers to get to see essentially the most archetypal variations of those completely different Doctor incarnations riff off of one another, however that’s by and enormous the only attraction of Multi-Doctor specials. The tales themselves are hardly ever greater than excuses to smash these characters collectively, and while you’re competing for display time between large personalities just like the completely different Doctors are—particularly in order a “guest” Doctor subsequent to the present incumbent Time Lord—you’re not likely going to get rather more deeply into the form of character exploration you are able to do than returning to the broadest-sense definition of these previous Doctors. Eccelston has made it clear together with his return to the Ninth Doctor for Big Finish that he has massive concepts about learn how to develop and play his Doctor past what was executed in his sole season of the TV present—and if he can discover that on audio as a standalone character greater than he may seem as one Time Lord amongst many on TV, there’s no shock as to what he’d desire.

But hey, given sure loopy rumors floating round about what the present would possibly do with Russell T. Davies’ return and the upcoming sixtieth anniversary, perhaps it wouldn’t be misplaced to count on an opportunity for a solo Ninth Doctor return in some capability. Perhaps even like Night of the Doctor, a brief story accompaniment that lets Eccleston get one final huzzah on display? We can however hope—however at the very least now we all know the actor himself could be amenable to creating the leap again to televisual adventures in time and house.