Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary Special Reveals Original Plans For Christopher Eccleston

When it comes to Doctor Who, there are some episodes fans cannot ever forget. While each of the Doctors’ first episodes are considered classics, there are other specials like “The Day of the Doctor”. Six years ago, fans were introduced to Doctor Who‘s fiftieth anniversary special, but one person was missing. In a disappointing turn, the Ninth Doctor didn’t make an appearance, and fans have long wondered how the special might have changed should the Doctor have shown up.

Thanks to a new report, it seems piece of the Ninth Doctor’s role in the special have come to light. Over the last few years, former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has teased details about how “The Day of the Doctor” was originally written, and it seems Christopher Eccleston would have had lots to do.

According to Screen Rant, the biggest difference between the special’s drafts comes with its main characters. Fans were ultimately introduced to John Hurt’s War Doctor in the episode, but he was not meant to appear at first. The Ninth Doctor was originally meant to step in for the War Doctor which both Eccleston and Moffat have confirmed.

In fact, Moffat went so far as to even release part of the Ninth Doctor’s original role in the special. The showrunner shared part of his draft script for “The Day of the Doctor”, and it saw the Ninth Doctor wrestling with the idea of using the Moment. Unsure of whether to use the ancient weapon, the newly regenerated Ninth Doctor would have been in dire straits for more than one reason.

As reported, the special would have seen the Ninth Doctor deal with war, but he’d also be adjusting to his new body. The Ninth Doctor would have just regenerated in this special, and previously released storyboards tease the unsettling transition. Before having even met Rose Tyler, the Doctor would come in contact with David Tennant and others.

However, this character’s newly regenerated self would have caused issues for other pieces of “The Day of the Doctor”. If the Ninth Doctor had just been created, he would not know Rose Tyler which would have changed the special’s take on the Moment. It also would have been impossible for the special to include Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor given the whole regeneration thing.

Clearly, a great many things would have been different for Doctor Who had Eccleston taken part in the special. The actor ultimately chose to pass up on the gig which gave fans the chance to meet the War Doctor, a figure unlike any ever introduced by the series before. Nowadays, fans have a hard time imagining the sci-fi classic without Hurt’s character, but the thought of what could have been still plagues some of Eccleston’s biggest fans.

Do you wish Eccleston had been able to take part in this Doctor Who anniversary special? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!