Christopher Eccleston

Christopher Eccleston is an English actor. Eccleston played the Ninth Doctor in the British television series Doctor Who and is currently on the American drama series The Leftovers on HBO. He has also appeared on stage and in films such as Let Him Have It, Shallow Grave, Jude, Elizabeth, Gone in 60 Seconds, The Others,Days Later, The Seeker The Dark Is Rising and Thor The Dark World. Other British television series he has appeared in include Cracker, Fortitude and The Shadow Line.

OnApril 2004, it was announced that Eccleston was to play the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in the revival of the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, which began transmission onMarch 2005. Eccleston was the first actor to play the role who was born after the series began, albeit by less than three months. OnMarch 2005, the BBC released a statement, ostensibly from Eccleston, saying that he had decided to leave the role after just one series, because he feared becoming typecast. OnApril 2005, the BBC revealed that Ecclestons statement was falsely attributed and released without his consent. The BBC admitted that they had broken an agreement made in January not to disclose publicly that he only intended to do one series. The statement had been made after journalists made queries to the press office.

Source: Wikipedia