Breaking News!
 

Christopher Ecclestone has quit the role of Doctor Who after filming one season because he was afraid of being typecast and found the filming gruelling.

Yup, seems it's true. :(


What is it with science fiction and "typecasting" anyhow? You have stars being typecast as a "dirty scoundrel" or a "gritty personality" or a "female lead in romantic comedies" all over the place, and it never seems to stop them from getting roles... :?

Don't you generally complain about typecasting after a few seasons, once you're actually in danger of it? And isn't typecasting something that happens to actors who have created a fresh, interesting new character -- not one who's already been played by eight other actors?

Ah well. If a franchise had to lose its lead actor, let's be glad it's this one. DW has made an art out of recasting the star.

Well, there are lots of "dirty scoundrels" and so on in the movies and on TV. How often do you think Rob Reiner, or even Joss Whedon, looks up from his script and says, "You know, we could really use a 'Doctor Who type' for this part"?

But that said, Zeke's right--he could have done two or three seasons without danger of typecasting. Look at Peter Davison. I'm seriously miffed (inconsiderate of him to use up a regeneration when there are only 12 to begin with!). And I suspect Russell Davies won't want to do a regeneration scene, either. Maybe they'll just pull a Darrin.

It's very odd. I suspect, though fear of typecasting was the reason given, perhaps there is a little more to it than that. But who knows? We'll just have to wait and see.

And heck, it seems we might just see Bill Nighy as the Doctor after all (which I was hoping for in the first place), so, from my point of view, it's not all bad.

According to Outpost Gallifrey the new Doctor is likely to be David Tennant, who is in another Russel T Davies production, "Casanova" on BBC3 -- and who's done several Big Finish Dr Who audios as well.

OG is saying a budgetary squeeze on top-shelf salaries may be part of the reason Chris "scarpered." (There's one of your other reasons, PHJ...)

Still developing...

http://gallifreyone.com/newstv.php

Maybe that's part of the problem with TV today... ;)