Billie Piper speaks out on Christopher Eccleston’s ‘hard time’ making Doctor Who

‘I knew he was struggling,’ Piper exclusively told The Independent

Billie Piper has spoken about the sadness she felt when hearing that Christopher Eccleston struggled while making their 2005 series of Doctor Who together.

Aged 23, the actor starred in her first career-making role as Rose Tyler, the companion to Eccleston’s Doctor. She later, after several TV award wins, returned to the series to star alongside the 10th Doctor, David Tennant.

But last year she appeared at a fan convention alongside Eccleson, who gave a negative opinion of the 2005 series, calling it a “mess”.

“The first series was a mess, and it wasn’t to do with me or Billie – it was to do with the people who were supposed to make it,” he said at the time, revealing that he’d only return if showrunner Russell T Davies was sacked.

Speaking to The Independent, Piper said she was unaware of how negatively Eccleston felt about the series.

“I now know that he was having a hard time, but I’m not sure I understood at the time how troubled he was with it all,” she said.

“I was going through a lot of personal stuff – I think that’s where my focus was. I’m still really close with those guys, and the whole production team really.”

Billie Piper and Christopher Eccleston in ‘Doctor Who’ (BBC)

She admitted that she was slightly swept up by the starriness of her big screen debut, and wasn’t focussed on any interpersonal grievances within the crew.

“It was one of my first big acting jobs. So I was like, ‘Wheeeyy!!’ Grateful, grateful, grateful. Loving it, loving it. Can’t believe I’m finally doing the job I want to do, can’t believe I’m working with all these incredible people, can’t believe I’m working with Christopher Eccleston, can’t believe I’m rebooting a British classic.”

“It [was] kind of sad to hear that, really. I knew he was struggling, but yeah – I thought it was just scheduling and things like that, which are often a tricky part of what we do.”

Piper didn’t hesitate to say she’d be delighted to return to the Whoniverse.

“I wouldn’t go back as a full-time thing, but I’d love to make another appearance,” she said.

Piper stars in Netflix’s new film Scoop, which depicts the events behind Prince Andrew’s infamous “car crash” Newsnight interview with BBC broadcaster Maitlis, played by The Crown actor Gillian Anderson.

Billie Piper in ‘Scoop’ (PETER MOUNTAIN/NETFLIX. All Rights Reserved)

The I Hate Suzie actor plays Newsnight’s interview booker, who is the author of the book the film is based on, Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews.

Piper said she was initially unsure about taking the role, but realised there was a bigger story at play.

“Oh my God, there are these unsung women behind the story,’” she said, speaking about her character McAlister, who worked hard to get Prince Andrew’s team to agree to do the interview.

“I think she was the reason this happened,” Piper explains. “And it’s slightly depressing that no one really knew anything about her.”

Read the full Saturday Interview with Billie Piper, here.

Scoop is streaming on Netflix now.