Christopher Eccleston has recently reprised his role as the Ninth Doctor once again, and his return to Doctor Who definitively answers whether Nine and Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler were romantically involved. It’s never openly confirmed or denied in the show, but large portions of the Doctor Who fandom have long believed Nine and Rose to be an item. Interestingly, Eccleston’s comeback settles this very debate.
Eccleston had one of the shortest reigns of all the actors to play the Doctor, portraying the Time Lord for just a single, 13-episode run. Piper’s character accompanied Nine throughout Doctor Who season 1, with both actors helping to launch the sci-fi show’s revival era. Despite Nine’s brief stay, he still has episodes that rank among the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time. His most recent tale may not have taken place onscreen, but it still addresses Eccleston’s time as the Ninth Doctor and his dynamic with Rose.
The Ninth Doctor Is Revealed To Be Aromantic In His River Song Team-Up Adventure
Nine’s sexual orientation is a big turning point in the plot
In a 2024 Big Finish audio adventure, Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor has a surprising trilogy of adventures with Alex Kingston’s River Song. The characters are both voiced by their original actors and are also joined by new characters along the way. The stories, known collectively as Star-Crossed, begin with an installment called “Swipe Right,” which kicks off the coming together of Nine and River. The narrative revolves around a dark take on dating apps, and the Ninth Doctor’s sexual orientation is what saves the day.
Much to River’s dismay, it’s Kingston’s character who establishes that Nine is aromantic, suggesting he uses his mind as evidence that people don’t need a romantic partner to be fulfilled. In true Nine fashion, he’s so caught up in saving the world, the thought hadn’t occurred to him. Eventually, he openly confirms River’s theory. So, this means that Nine couldn’t have viewed Rose as a significant other, but rather as a friend. In fact, by the end of Star-Crossed, Nine and River share a very close friendship similar to that of Nine and Rose.
The Doctor’s Rose Romance Only Began During David Tennant’s Regeneration
Rose eventually leaves the show to spend her life with a version of Tennant’s Doctor
It’s also never confirmed onscreen whether Rose and David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor were a romantic couple, but it’s far more difficult to argue against than with Rose and Nine. The Doctor and Rose’s relationship timeline may have begun with the Time Lord being in his Ninth iteration, but the romantic edge only bleeds into the pairing when David Tennant steps into the role. So, Ten wouldn’t seem to share the same sexual orientation as his predecessor, making it possible for him to have a romantic relationship with his companion.
The iconic, ” Rose Tyler, I… ” was undeniably going to turn into him confirming his feelings for Billie Piper’s character.
Not that he ever really needed to, but Ten almost gets the chance to declare his love for Rose in the Doctor Who season 2 finale when he’s bidding her farewell from another dimension. The iconic, “Rose Tyler, I…” was undeniably going to turn into him confirming his feelings for Billie Piper’s character. This isn’t the only piece of evidence, but it is the most prominent and arguably the main salient. Plus, there’s also the fact that Rose is living her life with the Meta-Crisis Doctor, who is just Ten in human form.
It’s Good That Different Companions Have Unique Relationships With Each Doctor
New Doctor/companion dynamics keeps the show fresh
The confirmation of Nine’s relationship with Rose being strictly Platonic is beneficial to the show’s formula. One of the harsh realities of Doctor Who’s modern era is that the Doctor/companion romance trope has been a little overused. With Nine serving as a mentor to Rose rather than a love interest, it gives his character more depth and leaves more room to expand in future seasons. If Rose and Nine had been in love with one another, it would’ve taken away from the eventual connection between Ten and Rose – which is one of the highlights of the earlier years of Doctor Who’s revival.
Ten went on to have a different kind of relationship with Freema Agyeman’s Martha Jones, with the Doctor not returning her obvious affection for him. Donna Noble’s time with Ten was undeniably spent as best friends, which was repeated when they came back for the 60th anniversary specials. As other actors have cycled through the roles, they’ve all had unique relationships with their companions, even in instances such as Clara Oswald being in the TARDIS with both Eleven and Twelve successively. So, while Nine’s tie to Rose may have been established late, it still works in Doctor Who’s favor.