In May 2004 , it was announced that Piper was to play the character Rose Tyler , companion to The Doctor , played by Christopher Eccleston , in the long-running BBC television series Doctor Who , beginning in 2005 . In May 2004 , it was announced that the series would be resurrected beginning in 2005 , and that Piper was to play the character Rose Tyler , a traveling companion to The Doctor ( to be played by Christopher Eccleston ) .