•British actor Christopher Eccleston is returning to play the Ninth Doctor in a new full-cast audio drama from production company Big Finish, titled The Ninth Doctor Adventures: The Wash. The Christmas-themed story will stream on the official Doctor Who YouTube channel on December 22.
Eccleston is best known for his time as the ninth incarnation of the Time Lord during the early-2000s run of the long-running BBC series. He appeared alongside Billie Piper as his companion Rose Tyler, battling Daleks, Slitheen and other foes during a brief stint in the role.
The announcement arrives after uncertainty surrounding Doctor Who‘s future. When the BBC put Doctor Who up for competitive tender, it brought news that there would be no Doctor Who Christmas special this year, as showrunner Russell T. Davies and production company Bad Wolf stepped aside to allow new creatives to lead the series into a new era.
The upcoming audio drama follows Rose and her mother Jackie as they begin early Christmas preparations while the Doctor takes on laundry duties. The Wash Inn is described as a haven for lonely souls, prompting questions about why the memory of his granddaughter Susan has begun to trouble him—and what lurks inside an ordinary washing machine.
“This was a brilliant, really outstanding script, I thought,” Eccleston said in an interview with Big Finish. “I love that notion that as we go through our lives, particularly if you’re a Time Lord, everybody you meet remains with you. And working with Carole was really exciting. I’d been looking forward to it. I think that ‘An Unearthly Child’ is the greatest episode ever made—when I made the TV series, that was the one I watched as inspiration. And she’s a pro, she was absolutely brilliant—a real honor.”
“This was a brilliant, really outstanding script, I thought. I love that notion that as we go through our lives, particularly if you’re a Time Lord, everybody you meet remains with you.” Christopher Eccleston on The Wash
Big Finish
Eccleston’s praise for “An Unearthly Child” references the very first episode of Doctor Who, which introduced the First Doctor—played by William Hartnell—and his four companions, including granddaughter Susan Foreman, played by Carole Ann Ford.
Ford will reprise her role as Susan in the new drama. “[The Wash] is such a strong story,” she said to Big Finish. “Susan pushes this Doctor to try and sort himself out and not be so touchy with people. I think listeners will be cheering Susan on!”
The Ninth Doctor Adventures: The Wash arrives at what appears to be an opportune moment, streaming December 22 and giving fans worldwide a chance to listen together. Even those who miss the premiere can stream the audio drama free of charge on the Doctor Who YouTube channel for a month afterward.
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