Doctor Who icon Christopher Eccleston has recalled how an iconic moment from ITV crime drama Cracker came about.
The 1990s drama, which was created and written by Jimmy McGovern and followed a team working for Greater Manchester Police as they tried to solve crimes, starred Eccleston as DCI David Bilborough.
Bilborough was eventually murdered by Albie Kinsella (Robert Carlyle), leading to a landmark moment in British TV as the character bled out while giving a “statement of a dying man” over his radio.
Speaking to Radio Times magazine about his new Netflix drama Unchosen, the actor was asked about his departure from Cracker.
He explained: “They wanted me to sign for three series but I said I’d sign for one, see how it went. When it went well, I said I’d go back, but I wasn’t going to hang around and support Robbie Coltrane, bless him, for three series."
He continued: "That handed Jimmy [McGovern, who wrote it] a provocation. Nowadays, major characters are killed off constantly, but it had never been done before he did it in 1994."
"I don’t think either of us could have imagined the effect that it would have, but back then there were four channels and we were getting 13 million viewers. If it’s a brilliant performance, it’s for one reason and one reason only: the writing."
Speaking about how he owes his career to McGovern, he added: “Without Jimmy McGovern, I wouldn’t have a career in television. I did Cracker, a film called Heart, Accused… And I did Hillsborough, which is the most important thing I’ve ever done."
He continued: "It provoked questions in Parliament and got me over my silly guilt that being an actor isn’t a real job.
"I will always want to work with McGovern and I’m hoping that one day he’ll employ me again, maybe in an old people’s home."
Read the full interview with Gareth McLean in this week’s Radio Times magazine out on 18 April 2026 – subscribe here.
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