Actor Christopher Eccleston Has Canceled His Phoenix Fan Fusion Appearance

The Doctor Who star is filming in Bulgaria and can't get away.

May 23, 2022

Actor Christopher Eccleston of Doctor Who fame. Super Festivals/CC BY 2.0/Flickr Creative Commons

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Just a week before pop culture convention Phoenix Fan Fusion begins, one of its most famous guests has bowed out.

Christopher Eccleston, perhaps best known as the Ninth Doctor on Doctor Who, announced on May 21 that he will not be appearing at the event.

In a video that Phoenix Fan Fusion posted to its social media accounts over the weekend, Eccleston explained the change in schedule.

"Hello everybody in Phoenix, Arizona, the Grand Canyon State," he began. I'm sorry that I cannot join you for the con this year. I'm in Varna, Bulgaria, making a film called The Young Woman and the Sea with the great Daisy Ridley from Star Wars ... I've tried everything, production have tried, but I just cannot get away.

"I'm particularly sad because over the last two years with the pandemic, we've had so much disruption to our conventions. I'm really sorry not to see you. If I was not Chris Eccleston, and I was the Ninth Doctor and I had a blue box, and a Sonic Screwdriver, I could do it, but I can't. I send you all my love. I hope you have a great, great con, and it will be fantastic to see you very soon. Lots of love. Bye."

Attendees who had pre-purchased an autograph or a photo have been refunded.

There are plenty of actors still on the Fan Fusion lineup, including Patrick Warburton, Felicia Day, Kate Mulgrew, Anthony Rapp, and Chuck Norris.

This year's Phoenix Fan Fusion runs from May 27 to May 29. (Click here for the Phoenix New Times guide to the event.) To purchase passes, autographs, and photo ops, visit the Phoenix Fan Fusion website.

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Jennifer Goldberg is the Music and Culture editor of Phoenix New Times. She joined the New Times staff in February 2016. In her role, Jennifer writes and publishes profiles of both local and regional musicians, previews upcoming performances and provides guides on the best of Phoenix’s entertainment scene. She also oversees the Best of Phoenix. Jennifer previously worked for Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. During her career, Jennifer has received awards from the Arizona Press Club, the Arizona Newspaper Association and the American Jewish Press Association. She holds a bachelor’s of arts in English from Arizona State University.

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