There was a famous email – certainly famous to anyone who saw it – which went round in the weeks after the Queen Mother had passed away. In it were words left by alleged well wishers on a tribute website. Some of them were fantastic – the best coming from devoted fans, people taking the piss and especially those which you couldn’t quite tell whether they were real or jokes. People are capable of the most absurd and hysterical reactions at a time of great tragedy. Which brings me to today and the news that Christopher Eccleston is leaving Doctor Who. A story covered by the mainstream media (including Radio 4’s PM programme getting the opinions of the woman who played Bet Lynch in Coronation Street) all day and which generated almost two thousand posts on the most popular Doctor Who message board in well under twenty four hours. Bearing in mind the Queen Mum example, and sending a shoutout to Goldfinch99 who first pointed me in the direction of the hysteria, I give you selected "highlights" from Doctor Who fandom.

I won't believe this just yet. But if this appears in a newspaper I'm listening.

*has minor coronary* Be lies, dammit. BE ****ING LIES.

I mean.... this is how the Smiths split, y'know

What a way to hammer nails in the coffin of a show that has just risen from the grave.

Bloody quitter. I hate my job but have done it for 18 years. Some people have no guts or even respect for their audience. He's gone right down in my estimation. And that stupid accent and jacket were never right.

I'm getting the old Italia 90 feeling all over again.

I HATE being a Dr Who fan sometimes.

Mother...puss..bucket............. This is not a dig at Chris who I admire and will continue to admire as an actor.

I need a hug. Someone hug me.

I'm sorry, but what a dick.

Urge to kill....rising. In the morning, once I've calmed down, I should be more capable of seeing both sides of this thing. Right now, I'd like to murder people please.

Doctor Who died today...

Only this morning I was strolling to work and looking forward to The End Of The World

Paul McGann should turn up in Episode 13 and reveal Eccles to have been an impostor all along. Now that would be good!

Well, fair play to him. This is, after all, the role that helped to kill Hartnell

Mind you maybe I'm dreaming...... yes thats it just a wierd dream. Crumbs, need the bog- maybe its not a dream after all.

I am actually on the verge of tears. How sad am I?

It's like watching a car crash in slow motion, the whole thing just smacks of unbelievability.

It's time like this I wish I drank alcohol

is this the Doctor Who fan "Kurt Cobain" moment?

It also means we can have the 4 Doctors for the 45th anniversary special

Well, I don't think I'll ever consider him the "current Doctor" now since every episode is going to be spoiled by the fact that he's quit. (Well, not spoiled, but shadowed.) It still seems like McCoy is the current Doctor to me. Does anyone else feel that way too?

Oh dear, it's there on the BBC News Website: "Eccleston quits Dr Who role", just above "Doctors feed Pope by nasal tube".

What are the 5 stages of greif again?

TV-AM was beleagured at the start and only gained dominance against the BBC after cutting its established older starts and bringing in new faces

I can't get over how shabby the timing is. It must have been a leak. How did that happen, who is responsible, where do I find him and how hard can I kill him?

I haven't felt this bad since Steps split.

Imagine how the poor kids who took to CE's doctor must feel? Their hero taken away after just one week!

I wonder just how 'final' the Gallifrey Chronicles is? Can the last page be changed to continue the EDA's?

Does anyone else feel like they're not bothered about the new series anymore? This news is a real p*sser!

"D'ya wanna come with me? Cos if ya do then I should warn ya...you're gonna see all sort of things...a christmas special...a second series...the day I quit and pissed you all off. It won't be quiet, it won't be well-timed and it won't be good for publicity, but I tell you what it will be...the anti-climax of a life-time!"

Personally, I think this news comes only as a surprise to people who haven't seen the full series.

It's as bad a feeling I've had since Pawlew Di Canio left West Ham

Obviously Gary Russell has 'phoned him up and explained that, instead of running around in Cardiff for eight months, he can make DW in a small cosy room with a microphone, some headphones, a cup of tea and a nice sarnie. 'Count me in', says CE.

this is just a kick in the gut to the ten-year-old inside me

Could someone please return 'Power of the Daleks' to the archives. I need cheering up.

We should have all known anyway; never trust a Man United fan

This has just blown the wind out of my sails.

There are no words to describe my extreme sadness at this point.

NO NO NO...this just can't be right, can it? Earlier today i had a feeling of TOTAL euphoria at the news of a second series. That feeling has just turned into utter despair for me.

Do whatever it takes but Billie MUST BE BACK!! The weight of the series is now on her shoulders.

Bloody poncy actors.

Until we get an actor with some stamina and respect for the kids who want him as their hero playing the Doctor, the bloke piloting the TARDIS is an irrelevance.

I think this prostrates at the feet of Eccleston some serious questions about his devotion and humility in the light of such a cherished series.

I just phoned the BBC to be sure... He used to get out clause in his contract.

i'll have to go for the remote control dalek now instead of the CE action figure.

Its anaglous to ripping of a band-aid, as opposed to slowly peeling it off. Yes, there is tremendous short term pain. But at least the pain isn't drawn out over months.

I think i might just go and pretend its the 70s and pertwee is still the doctor.that way none of this will affect me untill anouther 30 odd years

I'm dying of cancer and escapism is necessary for me.

So by the looks of things, Doctor 9 is born at Easter and dies at Christmas. It's like Jesus in reverse.

Next Months DWM is going to be fascinating. The fall out from this will be fascinating.

I'm going to get wasted on benylin and vicks now. Maybe this won't have happened in the morning.

If there is any chance that Mr. Eccleston reads or hears of this post or the reaction of fans to his appearent departure as the Doctor, please reconsider. You are now the image of a triumph over adversity and the sucess of perserverance.

It's George Lazenby all over again!

Made a note in my diary on the way here...it simply says...bugger.

You'd think that someone signing up for the role of the Doctor who would realize it came with a moral obligation

Guys, I've got to go to bed and try and sleep. (((((((((((((((( big Hugs)))))))))))))))))))) to all of us , huh? Bin a tough one.

The date of 30/03/05 at 23:52 BST (22:52 UTC) shall go down as a time I will never forget.

can someone say 'p*ssed on my chips'?

One reason Eccles wanted out was the poor reviews of the leaked "Rose" - damn you filesharers

It's interesting that the new title sequence didn't feature Eccleston's face. Perhaps the titles were made with a change of lead in mind.

If this is all true, Chris Eccleston can go f*** himself.

I'm sick of being a Doctor Who fan, I'm off to join the trekkies or something

Ever since the days of Greek Tragedies the audience has gone into a drama knowing that the lead character will come to a sticky end. It's a forumla that's worked for 1000s of years. Eccleston's Doctor is doomed, his end can't be avoided. That's the essence of tragedy - we can see it coming, but the character can't. If it worked for Sophocles, I'm sure it has some value.

Are we all going to wake up and find Chis Eccleston in the shower?

ce - what an ar&sehole

This is all a big bummer! I'm happy I'm sad Dr Who doesn't usually do this to me it's Dr Who I look at to escape stress now it's making it,super bummer!!!!!!!!!

it's disappointing. Sort of like setting out on a week-long cruise vacation with friends, only to have the friends have to return home for an emergency the first day at sea... Sigh.

It just goes to show the folly of hiring a human to play the role instead of a real alien like Tom Baker.

Maybe its time for RTD go out and hang around building sites looking for fresh talent.

It feels similar to meeting a new girl, everything's going great, you're thinking "This is the one", and then she breaks up with you, wondering what the hell happened? Why doesn't anyone love us?

For me it'll take a bit longer to accept this change in the "status quo" - the last time I felt this emotionally gutted was when I was made redundant from my last job.

Anyone know where Robert Carlyle lives? Maybe we can get him to go bayonet the f*****r.

just think of it as thirteen weeks of breakup sex. Breakup sex is always great

Y'know. I'm looking for work, currently. Totally unemployed and nearly broke. If they want to do some risky casting, why not me?

Well I will guarantee one thing he has probably killed the Ratings for the rest of the series.

With just a few regenerations left Dr Who might be finished after just three more seasons. 10th series 2, 11th series 3 and 12th series 4. END OF STORY.

whilst I will still enjoy every episode of course, it will piss me off watching him

We're in mourning. In fact, we are going through the stages of grief. You've seen in in this very thread. Theres: Denial "God I'm hoping this isn't true. Maybe RTD can convince him to stay". Anger: "If he was going to do this he shouldn't have taken the role." Depression all around, (that's where I am certainly) and Acceptance "It's not the end of the world. The show has always survived this before".

This is the EARTHSHOCK of the lifes of Doctor Who fans.....

I've had little voices whispering "Bill Nighy - Bill Nighy" in my head all day.

is it time for a fans campaign to keep CE in the role for the second series? And if so, does anyone know how to do it?

I heard the tragic news late last night and my first reaction was to throw up.

no i think this is a bity harsh however i dnt think he has shown the shown the fans much respect by leaving a week after the 1st bloody episode is aired makes it look bad when actually it isnt as the 2nde series is confirmed he could of waited till the 1st series ended then made his depature very bad move i think

And after 35 pages I GIVE UP. The remaining 23 will just have to rest, if not in peace, then at least with undignified grumbling.