Eccleston was 40 by this time, a seasoned professional, and a socially conscientious one too. According to the same rumours, he was furious with the conditions of the first block shoot and went to management — which would be Davies, Tranter, Collinson and Gardner, the same foursome that are running the show again now. Whatever he demanded of them, whatever their response was, we don’t know for sure — but it appears that wass the straw that broke the camel’s back for him.
As he says in the panel recording, there were genuine highlights later in the production but apparently they couldn’t outweigh the damage that was done to his working relationship with the showrunner and producers.
That’s interesting. From this it sort of sounds like it’s mutual bad blood between them, not just Eccleston. Regardless, it’s a shame that all this happened. Though I don’t judge him for being soured on the work environment, he really was great.
Add to all the above that it has since come to light how John Barrowman made it a running joke to get naked on set and come up behind others to put his penis on them. As a prank, sure, but it probably riled up an actor like Eccleston, who has gone on to deny working with “that prick” again.
More seriously Noel Clarke has been accused of sexual harrasment by a score of female crew and colleagues — actions that have taken place on productions such as Doctor who. I’m pretty sure that and Barrowman’s nude pranks is what Eccleston refers to when he talks about “pre MeToo” lawlessness on the production.
Big YIKES. I had no idea about all of that. And while John’s “antics” are maybe not surprising, I do feel it’s a discredit to everyone else to dismiss those actions as simple pranks. Sexual freedom is all well and good, but it still requires consent, which was clearly not given here. Without that, it’s sexual harassment. Period.