Television Christopher Eccleston Opens Up About the Mental Health Struggles He Faced While Filming Doctor Who

[Jason]

Quote

 

It’s long been known that Christopher Eccleston’s brief tenure as the Ninth Doctor was set amid a backdrop of behind-the-scenes problems, ones that eventually led to the actor’s early exit from the show. But in his new autobiography, Eccleston dives deeper than he ever publicly has before to reveal the stresses that plagued his time on the series.

As it turns out, those stresses go beyond his previously acknowledged frayed relationship with the higher ups producing the series at the time. British newspaper The Metro reports that the newly released I Love the Bones of You: My Father And The Making Of Me sees Eccleston open about the struggles with body dysmorphia and anorexia while filming the series:

Quote

Many times I’ve wanted to reveal that I’m a lifelong anorexic and dysmorphic. I never have. I always thought of it as a filthy secret, because I’m Northern, because I’m male and because I’m working-class...The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor. People love the way I look in that series, but I was very ill. The reward for that illness was the part. And therein lies the perpetuation of the whole sorry situation.

 

 

https://io9.gizmodo.com/christopher-eccleston-opens-up-about-the-mental-health-1838254115

 

I wonder if that's why he didn't come back for the 50th anniversary special, not just any potential lingering bad blood between him and the showrunners but also not wanting to put himself back in an environment so strongly associated with his mental health issues.

[NeoJoe]

FINALLY! I've always wondered WTF happened. Especially why he didn't come back for any type of reunion episode but now it all makes sense. I feel awful for him and hope he's doing better though.