Christopher Eccleston is right – Doctor Who needs a major overdue change

Over 20 years after Christopher Eccleston exited Doctor Who, his one condition for returning has revealed a golden opportunity for the show – and delighted fans in the process.

The Ninth Doctor left the BBC sci-fi series on troubled terms, previously declaring he would only reprise his role on the small screen if the BBC ‘sacked’ showrunner, Russell T Davies, and executive producers Julie Gardner, Jane Tranter and Phil Collinson.

He cited a breakdown in relationship with production and his unwillingness to ‘get involved in these politics’.

Now the actor, 62, has shared another reason he would step back into the Tardis, and it has utterly warmed my heart.

Appearing on a spotlight panel at the C2E2 2026 pop culture convention over the weekend, he said: ‘Here’s the thing: Doctor Who’s written for boys. There has never been a female showrunner of Doctor Who.

‘So my dream is this: there was a little girl who was, I don’t know – six, seven, eight – in 2005 when my series went out, and she gets the job, and she asked me back? I’d go back like a shot.’

The leadership of the series so far has fallen to three white male bosses – Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall – who have each made their mark in their own way, and whose work I have a lot of love for. 

But as a female Whovian who was six the year that Eccleston’s season first hit screens (and fell in love with the show just a couple of years later), the idea that he wants a woman from my generation to helm the show makes me feel quite teary. 

It’s a trailblazing stance from an icon of the series.

While I don’t completely agree that the show is written for boys – I considered myself a fan after watching my very first episode, and don’t ever remember feeling excluded by it – I want the next generation of girls to be welcomed into this magical, expansive world even more than I was.

Christopher’s sentiment hasn’t just moved me, but several Whovians. On Reddit, user rocketscientology volunteered for the job, writing: ‘I was 11 and I’ve never written a TV script in my life but if it’s what we need to get him back, sign me up’.

‘Using his fame to poke at the patriarchal nature of the showrunners is absolutely fantastic of him. Would love to see what a lady showrunner could do with Doctor Who,’ JunWasHere reflected.

Of course, women have played a vital part in Doctor Who history from its very inception, with founding producer Verity Lambert transforming the show from a shot-in-the-dark concept to a flagship series that has stood the test of time.

And it was a true flagship moment for the show when Jodie Whittaker was appointed as the first-ever female Doctor in 2017. I have vivid memories of jumping up in excitement when I saw the first teaser where Whittaker let down her hood to reveal herself, and I felt protective of her run after seeing the swathes of backlash from more bigoted sections of the fandom.

Since then, Jo Martin has guest-starred as the Fugitive Doctor and, in the latest twist, Ncuti Gatwa regenerated into Billie Piper – who we best know as companion Rose Tyler. And of course, we can’t forget Michelle Gomez as the inimitable Missy.

But the show has long faced criticism for how it portrayed its female characters in the past. Moffat has been slammed by fans for his ‘one-note’ characterisations, Chibnall for letting down 13 with his writing and Russell T Davies for making every woman fall in love with David Tennant.

Doctor Who is, by its very nature, an ever-evolving series. I think introducing the perspective of a female showrunner, who could provide a portrait of sci-fi women that is more nuanced and dynamic, could be exactly the revitalisation it needs.

Although Russell T Davies is confirmed to be returning for the 2026 Christmas special, the future of the show after this point is still up in the air.

There are some brilliant women showrunners in the British TV industry right now, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Happy Valley’s Sally Wainwright, Killing Eve’s Emerald Fennell, and Bad Sisters’ Sharon Horgan. 

If it were down to me, my number one pick would be We Are Lady Parts creator, Nida Manzoor, who herself has directed two Doctor Who episodes during Whittaker’s era (Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror and Fugitive of the Judoon).

With the show looking towards yet another hard reset come the end of this year, it’s never been a better time to make its boldest move ever. And, hey, if it comes with the added bonus of Christopher Eccleston finally making his long, long-awaited comeback, then you’ll certainly hear no complaints from me.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jessica.aureli@metro.co.uk. 

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