A place to update visitors with the latest news and information about Christopher Eccleston and his work and also to inform visitors about any updates/additions to my Chris related website.
The Big Issue's Stop Mass Homelessness campaign, launched this week, lays out a nine-point plan to prevent "an avalanche" of homelessness hitting the UK later this year.
A petition asking the public to back the plan has seen a rush of support. Big Issue Ambassadors Christopher Eccleston, George Clarke and Daniel Mays, as well as senior politicians, have also called for action to prevent homelessness.
Actress, Maxine Peake, was born in Bolton and lives in Salford.
The versatile star of both comedy and serious dramas moved back home after spending 13 years in London.
Actor Christopher Eccleston hails from Salford's Ellesmere Park, and found early fame for his role in the epic series "Our Friends Up North".
He once rode on his bicycle to Swinton Police station to chat to local kids.
Now they have helped cash-strapped Salford Lads Club simply by pulling on a T-shirt embossed with "The North".
They put images of themselves in the fundraising top on social media and the club sold £10,000 worth of shirts in three weeks.
Bolton-born actress, Maxine Peake, who now lives in Salford, sporting the new Salford Lads Club T-shirt, in front of a make up mirror while filming
Maxine will star in a new sexual politics thriller for the BBC, Rules of The Game, being filmed in Manchester.
She posted a picture of herself in a mirror at a makeup table in the T-shirt.
She once played sassy neighbour, Veronica, in the infamous Manchester comedy, Shameless.
The Silk actress also took on the BBC drama Three Girls, based on the true stories of victims of grooming and sexual abuse in Rochdale, playing Sara Rowbotham – a sexual health worker involved in the case and the whistleblower who exposed the extent of the child abuse.
The RADA-trained former Westhoughton High School and Canon Slade pupil landed a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art when she was 21 and she lived in London for 13 years.
But the former Bolton Octagon Youth Theatre pupil upped sticks and moved back up north to live in Salford in 2007
Christopher Eccleston - northern and proud - in the new Salford Lads Club T-shirt. Sales of it surged when he and Maxine Peake posted pictures on social media
She later told the Manchester Evening News: "I love London but I wanted to move back north because it has a totally different pace of life and a different community. I like that in the north nobody is impressed. I see people who believe their own hype and that's when it gets dangerous."
Christopher posted a picture of him in the shirt with a northern skyline as a backdrop.
Leslie Holmes, community artist, and spokesman for Salford Lads Club said: "When Maxine and Christopher posted pictures of themselves wearing the shirts it went ballistic for orders. They both have huge followings and there was a surge in sales and we sold £10,000 worth in three weeks, which has now increased to £14,000.
"Our latest T shirt celebrates The North. The famous Salford Lads Club sign is known around the world, thanks to the famous picture of The Smiths by Stephen Wright taken in 1985. The club continues to be a pilgrimage site for fans of The Smiths, Manchester music and culture.
Former drummer for The Smiths, Mike Joyce, in the new Lads Club T-shirt.
"In 2021 it's important to let people know we are still here, We've survived two world wars, 27 prime ministers and now Covid. More importantly as the country starts to re-open, we are proud to be a symbol of Salford, Manchester and The Norths working class heritage."
Famous former members of the club include Busby Babe, Eddie Colman and music legends Graham Nash and Alan Clarke of the Hollies.
Leslie said: "We asked some of our "friends in the north" if they'd like to help and everybody we asked has shown an amazing sense of solidarity about the new design.
"Chris Eccleston, Maxine Peake, John Thomson Mike Joyce, Vinny Peculiar, Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie have posted pictures on social media and amazingly we sold out in every size apart from XXL, but are restocking."
Boltonian Mark Radcliffe and Merseyside born and Wigan educated, Stuart Maconie, authors, radio DJs, and northerners proudly wearing the new T-shirt.
"We hope "The North" is going to an important fundraiser for the club. Like everybody else we have suffered from being closed for nearly 18 months and we have lost more than £80,000 income.
"We have benefited from recovery grants but this has gone towards making the building safe for all our young people and volunteers by installing new ventilation in the main gym and boxing gyms and games rooms."
The club will re-open to visitors on Saturday July 24th from 11am to 3pm.
Christopher Eccleston displayed his muscular biceps in a black vest as he left the set of the BBC's new Oliver Twist adaptation Dodger on Thursday.
The Doctor Who alum, 57, revealed his defined guns as he loaded his bag in his Range Rover after a long day on set at the National Waterways Museum in Cheshire .
He sported a short haircut and goatee as he ditched his Victorian-era costume after playing criminal organiser Fagin in the 10-part family drama.
Fagin - one of the main characters in the original 1838 Oliver Twist novel - is the leader of a group of children who he teaches to pickpocket in exchange for shelter.
Saira Choudhry, 31, who is best known for playing Anita Roy in Hollyoaks and Tegan in Paul Abbott's No Offence, takes on the role of Nancy who is a member of Fagin's gang and Bill Sikes' lover.
Shameless star David Threlfall, 67, will play chief of police Sir Charles Rowan in the series, while child actor Billy Jenkins, 14, - who was in The Crown - will also feature in the new drama.
The series, which will appear on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, has been written by Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery, while Charlie Higson has also guest-written an episode.
Oliver Twist is Charles Dickens' second novel, and was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839. It was released as a three-volume book in 1838, before the serialisation ended.
The story centres around orphan Oliver who was born in a workhouse and sold into an apprenticeship with an undertaker.
After escaping, Oliver travels to London, where he meets the 'Artful Dodger' Jack Dawkins, a member of a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by Fagin.
Christopher said of the upcoming series: 'Fagin is an iconic role, I'm a very fortunate actor.
'Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery have taken Charles Dickens' extraordinary characters and imagined a whole new world and lives for them. I'm very, very excited.'
Thomas, who is also co-directing the series, said: 'I have always loved Oliver Twist but wasn't so keen on Oliver himself. I preferred the company of Dodger, Fagin and the gang.
'I thought it would be fun to create a family show with Dodger at its heart and see how he came to be a master criminal in Victorian London.
'Working with the very best material as a springboard, it's a total delight to expand Dickens' rich world of characters and create a few of my own.
'To top it all, we have an incredible cast who are starring in the show. I can't wait for families all over the world to see it!'
Christopher left the role of Doctor Who after appearing for just one series in 2005, despite being praised by fans for her performance as the Time Lord.
The series gripped viewers with the return of the infamous Daleks, the debut of Captain Jack (played by John Barrowman) and the Doctor's blossoming romance with Rose Tyler.
But the end of series one saw Christopher's Doctor regenerate, with David Tennant taking over the role for the second series in 2006.
Since his departure, the actor has candidly revealed that he battled anorexia during filming for the sci-fi drama, and was praised by fans for bravely revealing his mental health struggles.
Writing in his book I Love The Bones Of You, he said: 'The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor.
'People love the way I look in that series, but I was very ill. The reward for that illness was the part. And therein lies the perpetuation of the whole sorry situation.'
I hope they bring this to the US. I know he will be great in this. Thanks for sharing!
Sally Ann
On Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 2:08 PM Virginia McGovern <ednaboxe@gmail.com> wrote:
Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston was seen on the set of the new BBCdrama Dodger for the first time on Thursday.
The actor, 57, wore a period costume as he filmed scenes at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, alongside former Hollyoaks star Saira Choudhry.
Christopher will play criminal organiser Fagin in the 10-part family drama which is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist.
Fagin - one of the main characters in the 1838 novel - is the leader of a group of children who he teaches to pickpocket in exchange for shelter.
Christopher transformed into Fagin in a long blue and grey jacket which he wore over a light pink waist coat and light blue shirt.
He had a brown neckerchief on and a brown hat and was carrying a suitcase and a box as he filmed what appeared to be a tense scene alongside Saira.
Saira, 31, - who is best known for playing Anita Roy in Hollyoaks and Tegan in Paul Abbott's No Offence - wore a blue dress with elaborate sleeves and a beige cape.
Shameless star David Threlfall, 67, will play chief of police Sir Charles Rowan in the series, while child actor Billy Jenkins, 14, - who was in The Crown - will also star, though they were not seen on set on Thursday.
The series, which will appear on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, has been written by Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery, while Charlie Higson has also guest-written an episode.
Oliver Twist is Charles Dickens' second novel, and was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839 and released as a three-volume book in 1838, before the serialisation ended.
The story centres on orphan Oliver who was born in a workhouse and sold into apprenticeship with an undertaker.
After escaping, Oliver travels to London, where he meets the 'Artful Dodger' Jack Dawkins, a member of a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by Fagin.
Christopher said of the upcoming series: 'Fagin is an iconic role, I'm a very fortunate actor.
'Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery have taken Charles Dickens' extraordinary characters and imagined a whole new world and lives for them.
'I'm very, very excited.'
Thomas, who is also co-directing the series, said: 'I have always loved Oliver Twist but wasn't so keen on Oliver himself.
'I preferred the company of Dodger, Fagin and the gang.
'I thought it would be fun to create a family show with Dodger at its heart and see how he came to be a master criminal in Victorian London.
'Working with the very best material as a springboard, it's a total delight to expand Dickens' rich world of characters and create a few of my own.
'To top it all, we have an incredible cast who are starring in the show.
'I can't wait for families all over the world to see it!'
Christopher left the role of Doctor Who after appearing for just one series in 2005, despite being praised by fans for her performance as the Time Lord haunted by the destruction of his home planey.
The series gripped viewers with the return of the infamous Daleks, the debut of Captain Jack (played by John Barrowman) and the Doctor's blossoming romance with Rose Tyler.
But the end of series one saw Christopher's Doctor regenerate, with David Tennant taking over the role for the second series in 2006.
Since his departure the actor has candidly revealed that he was battling anorexia during filming for the sci-fi drama, and was praised for fans for bravely revealing his mental health struggles.
Writing in his book I Love The Bones Of You, he said: 'Many times I've wanted to reveal that I'm a lifelong anorexic and dysmorphic.
'I never have. I always thought of it as a filthy secret, because I'm Northern, because I'm male and because I'm working-class.'
The father-of-two revealed his anorexia was prevalent during his spell on the BBC drama, adding: 'The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor.
'People love the way I look in that series, but I was very ill. The reward for that illness was the part. And therein lies the perpetuation of the whole sorry situation.'
Dodger will air later this year on BBC.
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Former Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston was seen on the set of the new BBCdrama Dodger for the first time on Thursday.
The actor, 57, wore a period costume as he filmed scenes at the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, alongside former Hollyoaks star Saira Choudhry.
Christopher will play criminal organiser Fagin in the 10-part family drama which is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist.
Fagin - one of the main characters in the 1838 novel - is the leader of a group of children who he teaches to pickpocket in exchange for shelter.
Christopher transformed into Fagin in a long blue and grey jacket which he wore over a light pink waist coat and light blue shirt.
He had a brown neckerchief on and a brown hat and was carrying a suitcase and a box as he filmed what appeared to be a tense scene alongside Saira.
Saira, 31, - who is best known for playing Anita Roy in Hollyoaks and Tegan in Paul Abbott's No Offence - wore a blue dress with elaborate sleeves and a beige cape.
Shameless star David Threlfall, 67, will play chief of police Sir Charles Rowan in the series, while child actor Billy Jenkins, 14, - who was in The Crown - will also star, though they were not seen on set on Thursday.
The series, which will appear on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, has been written by Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery, while Charlie Higson has also guest-written an episode.
Oliver Twist is Charles Dickens' second novel, and was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839 and released as a three-volume book in 1838, before the serialisation ended.
The story centres on orphan Oliver who was born in a workhouse and sold into apprenticeship with an undertaker.
After escaping, Oliver travels to London, where he meets the 'Artful Dodger' Jack Dawkins, a member of a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by Fagin.
Christopher said of the upcoming series: 'Fagin is an iconic role, I'm a very fortunate actor.
'Rhys Thomas and Lucy Montgomery have taken Charles Dickens' extraordinary characters and imagined a whole new world and lives for them.
'I'm very, very excited.'
Thomas, who is also co-directing the series, said: 'I have always loved Oliver Twist but wasn't so keen on Oliver himself.
'I preferred the company of Dodger, Fagin and the gang.
'I thought it would be fun to create a family show with Dodger at its heart and see how he came to be a master criminal in Victorian London.
'Working with the very best material as a springboard, it's a total delight to expand Dickens' rich world of characters and create a few of my own.
'To top it all, we have an incredible cast who are starring in the show.
'I can't wait for families all over the world to see it!'
Christopher left the role of Doctor Who after appearing for just one series in 2005, despite being praised by fans for her performance as the Time Lord haunted by the destruction of his home planey.
The series gripped viewers with the return of the infamous Daleks, the debut of Captain Jack (played by John Barrowman) and the Doctor's blossoming romance with Rose Tyler.
But the end of series one saw Christopher's Doctor regenerate, with David Tennant taking over the role for the second series in 2006.
Since his departure the actor has candidly revealed that he was battling anorexia during filming for the sci-fi drama, and was praised for fans for bravely revealing his mental health struggles.
Writing in his book I Love The Bones Of You, he said: 'Many times I've wanted to reveal that I'm a lifelong anorexic and dysmorphic.
'I never have. I always thought of it as a filthy secret, because I'm Northern, because I'm male and because I'm working-class.'
The father-of-two revealed his anorexia was prevalent during his spell on the BBC drama, adding: 'The illness is still there raging within me as the Doctor.
'People love the way I look in that series, but I was very ill. The reward for that illness was the part. And therein lies the perpetuation of the whole sorry situation.'
