8 Mind-Blowing Doctor Who Facts You Never Knew

5. Christopher Eccleston Wasn’t Originally The Ninth Doctor

Doctor Who David Tennant
BBC

Back before Russell T. Davies (with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper in tow) successfully rebooted the show in 2005, Doctor Who was in an odd grey-area after the TV movie back in '96.

To coincide with the show's 40th anniversary in 2003, an animated serial known as Scream of the Shalka was written and produced, with Richard E. Grant in the role of what was then known as the Ninth Doctor.

When the series returned to TV in the live-action format, Christopher Eccleston was also cast as the Ninth Doctor. Richard E. Grant wasn't considered for the live-action role, and subsequently his animated Ninth Doctor was branded the 'Shalka Doctor.' He did eventually appear in the live-action series as Dr Walter Simeon in The Snowmen, and The Great Intelligence in both The Bells Of Saint John and The Name Of The Doctor.

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Born in Theatre, sits at a Computer. After over a decade of tinkering with Video Editing software, Rich gets to spend his precious time editing whatever's thrown at him. Also the go-to for Doctor Who, and could tell you why Sans Serif fonts are better than most. Still occasionally tap dances under the desk.