Christopher Eccleston left Doctor Who after one series in 2005 primarily due to clashes over the working environment and creative direction, including tensions with the show’s early production team and politics surrounding the series. He has consistently cited dissatisfaction with the culture and environment on set, and a sense that the relationships and dynamics within the production contributed to an unacceptable working experience. Eccleston has also spoken about how this period affected his confidence and career, and he has been vocal about not returning to reprise the role while the same executive and production setup remained in place. If you’d like, I can summarize his publicly stated reasons with specific quotes and note how those concerns aligned with later changes to the show’s leadership.
