The long search to find an actor brave enough to battle the evil Daleks has finally come to an end. It has been announced that Christopher Eccleston, who has starred in such films as The Others and Shallow Grave, will take on the iconic role of Dr Who for a new series.
The 40-year-old actor will be the ninth Time Lord to take control of the Tardis. And by doing so he steps into one of Britain's favourite television series: Dr Who ran for 26 years until production came to an end in 1989.
"We are delighted to have cast an actor of such calibre in one of British television's most iconic roles," said BBC executive Jane Tranter. "It signals our intention to take Dr Who into the 21st century, as well as retaining its core traditional values – to be surprising, edgy and eccentric."·
Given the fact that his past acting credits include everything from the son of God to gangland thugs, Christopher should manage the role with aplomb. The new 13-part series is due to start filming in Wales later in the year.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
