text: His turn as Doctor Who was among the shortest incarnations of the Time Lord in the programme’s 52-year-history. But Christopher Eccleston has now suggested he quit the show after falling out with bosses over his decision to play the character with a strong northern accent. The 51-year-old actor, who grew up in Manchester, played the Doctor for just 13 episodes during the first series of the show’s revival in 2005. Scroll down for video . Too northern? Christopher Eccleston (pictured with Billie Piper on Doctor Who) has suggested he quit the show after falling out with show bosses over his decision to play the character with a strong northern accent . He proved a huge hit with fans, but only stayed for one run after falling out with then show boss Russell T Davies. Asked about his controversial departure from the programme, he told Radio Times: ‘I wanted to move him away from RP [received pronunciation] for the first time because we shouldn’t make a correlation between intellect and accent, although that still needs addressing. ‘I hope I’ll be remembered as one of the Doctors. I have no ill feeling towards the character or the series.’ He has previously hinted about a row with the show’s bosses, saying of his tenure in the role: ‘I didn’t agree with the way things were being run, or like the culture that grew up around the series.’ A total of twelve actors have played the Time Lord since the show first began in 1963. They include William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee, and more recently the likes of Paul McGann and Matt Smith. The 51-year-old actor played the Doctor for just 13 episodes in 2005 . The most recent incarnation is played by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi. The first Doctor Who episode was broadcast in November 1963 and the programme now attracts audiences of up to 16 million. The series has been sold to over 200 countries. The third son of working-class parents, Eccleston was brought up in Salford before going on to star in BBC drama series Our Friends in the North in 1996. He has also delivered a withering verdict on privileged actors such as Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch, claiming an increase in privately-educated stars is leading to ‘a milky, anodyne culture’. He added: ‘I still feel insecure, like a lot of my working-class contemporaries. I had a sense acting wasn’t for me because I’m not educated. I was a skinny, awkward-looking bugger with an accent, as I still am. ‘British society has always been based on inequality, particularly culturally. I’ve lived with it, but it’s much more pronounced now, and it would be difficult for someone like me to come through. ‘You can’t blame Eddie Redmayne [Eton], Benedict Cumberbatch [Harrow] and others taking their opportunities but it will lead to a milky, anodyne culture. To an extent that’s already happened. ‘I confess I don’t watch much film or television drama but I’m aware of the predominance of white, male roles. It’s not just about the working class. There’ s not enough writing for women or people of colour. ‘It frustrates me when they insist on doing all-male Shakespearean productions – a wonderful intellectual exercise, maybe, but it’s outrageous because it’s putting a lot of women out of work.’
target: Christopher Eccleston's turn was among shortest incarnations of Dr Who .
  Actor, who grew up in Manchester, played the Doctor for just 13 episodes .
  He was a huge hit with fans, but fell out with show boss Russell T Davies .
  The 51-year-old suggested he quit after a row over his decision to play character with a strong northern accent .