 The Doctor had been played by eight actors between when the series began in 1963 and the casting of Christopher Eccleston ; the concept of regeneration — a process in which the title character takes on a new body and identity — having been introduced in 1966 to allow the production team to change lead actors . Between 1963 and 1989 seven different actors played the part . An Eighth Doctor , played by Paul McGann , appeared in a BBC / Fox co @-@ produced television film in 1996 , however this did not lead to a full series . Over six weeks in 2003 , the BBC posted an animated serial called Scream of the Shalka on their official website . This was originally developed as an official continuation to series , and featured Richard E Grant in the role of the Doctor . In promoting the online serial , Grant was referred to as the official Ninth Doctor by the BBC . However , following the September 2003 announcement that the series would return to television with a new actor in the title role , the canonical status of the so @-@ called " Shalka Doctor " was left in doubt . 
