6. Christopher Eccleston Originally Wasn't The Ninth Doctor
Canonically speaking, Richard E Grant (who later took on the role of the Great Intelligence) was originally promoted as the Ninth Doctor for his animated role as the (now known) Shalka Doctor during 2003s Scream of the Shalka. But Doctor Whos return to television was announced prior to the original broadcast of Scream of the Shalka, which made airing it rather pointless. Richard E Grant was demoted to a non-canon Doctor, and Christopher Eccleston took on the mantle. Had Russell T Davies not revived Doctor Who for 2005, several sequels to Scream of the Shalka reportedly would have been produced, and Doctor Who would be a very different programme nowadays.
