Doctor Who: Eccleston & Piper Discuss First Working Together, Reunion

Article Summary

• Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper reunite as the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler for Big Finish audio dramas.
• The actors discuss their original on-screen chemistry and how their partnership elevates Doctor Who storytelling.
• New audio adventures are set after "Father's Day," exploring Rose's family ties and the Doctor's loneliness.
• Stories capture the style of Russell T Davies' 2005 era, highlighting the Doctor and Rose's dynamic bond.

"It's lovely to see Billy again," said Eccleston. "We bumped into each other a couple of times at conventions, but it's lovely to work with her again. We always had a very easy working relationship and it's like falling off a horse.""Chris and I do some conventions together," said Piper. "So, um, yeah, it's nice to see him again after not being part of the 'Who' world for so long. It's nice we've brought him back. Certainly, the connection between the Doctor and Rose is… it's about friendship. It's about opposites attracting. It's about 'how can I make you a better version of yourself and how can you make me a better version of myself.'"

"Actors can only create chemistry and rapport if the scripts are well written," said Eccleston. "And we had very strong writing on that first series, as we do with Big Finish Audio. What I liked about Billy was, we both were very aware of the crew, and we felt we were making it with the crew. So, there's a generosity to Billy's acting. She was very nervous at the time. I'm sure she won't mind me talking about that. She was, you know, she was not somebody who thought she was great. It was interesting to see her insecurity because we could all see that she just shone, but she didn't assume that."

"I was a massive fan of his acting," said Piper. "I had to do an audition with him. We had to do a chemistry read and I was nervous about that because I was such a huge fan and he was such an authentic, soulful, deep actor. You know, he's got the chops and, you know, aspiring actors, which I was at the time, he would be up on that, you know, what sort of body of work would you like to follow? And he'd definitely be up there."

The Big Finish audio stories take place after "Father's Day," after Rose met her father Pete, and that story plays into the new stories. "I really connected with that episode, Father's Day," said Piper. "Because it's exactly what I would do. And so when we come into the new episode, she sort of charged on familial um energy and, you know, wanting a cup of tea with her mum." "One of the reasons for the Doctor's fascination and focus is because he doesn't have family," said Eccleston. "He's lost everybody. And I think that's at the core of him, this man who's this alien who's falling through time. He's kind of always looking for connection, much as he'd disavow it."

"I think you see his love for Rose really when you're on the estate, because it opens her up a bit, because it's less Rose going to other galaxies and having another experience. It's very much rooted in the now, and that opens her up emotionally. So, it brings them closer, and he's fascinated. He's able to view Rose's soul in a way in those episodes."

"The new episodes are so successful in mimicking Russell's voice," said Piper."He's going to love these if he hasn't read them. I mean, they feel very much in the style of Russell. They feel very much 2005."

"The role of the Doctor, it's like he's driven by a motor," said Piper. "You know, he and his overarching goal is to save humanity, but sometimes he goes about it in an insensitive way. And I think what was always good about Rose is that she could be his moral compass and rein in his really impulsive behaviors. And I think that dynamic is really satisfying to watch, and it's really fun to play, and it's truthful."

The first Ninth Doctor and Rose audio drama is now available from Big Finish.