The A Word’s Christopher Eccleston labels I’m A Celebrity contestants ‘a***holes’


‘It’s very dispiriting!’ The A Word’s Christopher Eccleston labels I’m A Celebrity contestants ‘a***holes’ after schedule clash with the ITV show

The A Word’s Christopher Eccleston has labelled I’m A Celebrity contestants ‘a***holes’ after the ITV show had a schedule clash with the BBC drama in 2017.

The Doctor Who star, 56, has returned as his character Maurice Scott for the third series which has been a hit with viewers during the lockdown.

The A Word follows the Hughes family as they come to terms with their youngest child, Joe’s, autism diagnosis. It is set in the Lake District.

Hitting out: The A Word’s Christopher Eccleston has labelled I’m A Celebrity contestants ‘a***holes’ after the ITV show had a schedule clash with the BBC drama in 2017 (pictured in 2019) 

Talking about the second season, which was schedule at the time time as I’m A Celebrity in 2017, Christopher joked to iNews that it was ‘dispiriting’ viewers would rather watch the jungle series over the BBC drama.  

He said: ‘It’s very dispiriting to me to think the British public would prefer to watch a load of a***holes in the jungle eating spiders than watch our drama.

‘We’ve always been writing about the joy and pain of being part of a large extended family and, during this period of lockdown, we’ve been forced together. 

‘I think a huge part of our attraction is that it focuses on family, so we could really resonate this time.’

'Dispiriting!': Talking about the second season, which was schedule at the time time as I'm A Celebrity in 2017, Christopher joked to iNews that it was 'dispiriting' viewers would rather watch the jungle series over the BBC drama (I'm A Celeb hosts Ant and Dec pictured)

‘Dispiriting!’: Talking about the second season, which was schedule at the time time as I’m A Celebrity in 2017, Christopher joked to iNews that it was ‘dispiriting’ viewers would rather watch the jungle series over the BBC drama (I’m A Celeb hosts Ant and Dec pictured) 

Return: The Doctor Who star, 56, has returned as his character Maurice Scott for the third series which has been a hit with viewers during the lockdown

Return: The Doctor Who star, 56, has returned as his character Maurice Scott for the third series which has been a hit with viewers during the lockdown

Christopher plays protective grandfather Maurice in the BBC drama and has previously joked that he’s ‘happy to be the granddad’.

He told Daily Mail’s Weekend: ‘As long as he can run up fells – I’m not ready for the mobility scooter yet!’

Christopher also revealed that he’s had nothing but praise for the BBC drama and has had more public reaction than anything else he’s done.

Premise: The A Word follows the Hughes family as they come to terms with their youngest child, Joe's, autism diagnosis. It is set in the Lake District (pictured with co-stars Max Vento and Morven Christie in show still)

Premise: The A Word follows the Hughes family as they come to terms with their youngest child, Joe’s, autism diagnosis. It is set in the Lake District (pictured with co-stars Max Vento and Morven Christie in show still) 

He said: ‘The reaction to, and success of, The A Word has been enormous. People stop me to talk about The A Word more than anything I’ve ever done. More than Hillsborough, Cracker or Our Friends In The North.’

Christopher continued: ‘People say, “Thank you for making it, because my son, my daughter, my grandson, a friend of a friend has someone on the spectrum.” They say thank you for making it positive and funny. 

‘Because we all get on with our lives, don’t we, whatever a family has to deal with. So it’s not a soapbox piece; it’s actually about the positivity that Joe’s condition brings and how families rally round and have to look at their own behaviour.’ 

 The A Word series three continues on Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC One. 

Wow: Christopher also revealed that he's had nothing but praise for the BBC drama and has had more public reaction than anything else he's done (pictured in 2019)

Wow: Christopher also revealed that he’s had nothing but praise for the BBC drama and has had more public reaction than anything else he’s done (pictured in 2019)