Charging what for a photo with Who?
- Publication: The Times
- Date: 2018-03-30
- Author:
- Page: 17
- Language: English
- Notes: A reader responds.
Christopher Eccleston has been accused of cashing in on his Doctor Who fame after fans were quoted £95 to obtain his autograph (Matthew Moore writes).
Science fiction enthusiasts are also being charged £85 to have their photo taken with the actor or £235 for a "diamond pass" with guaranteed autograph, photo and commemorative mug.
Eccleston is the most expensive guest who will be appearing at the London Film and Comic Con in July, an annual convention devoted to popular culture.
Charging fans for pictures and autographs is central to the business model of these conventions, with payment usually split between the star and the organisers.
However, the prices quoted for Eccleston, 54, have prompted a backlash from many die-hard "Whovians". Colin Baker, who played the sixth Doctor in the 1980s, is charging £15 for an autograph, and his onscreen companion Bonnie Langford charges £10.
Other celebrities at the event include the singer Meat Loaf (£45 for an autograph), the Blackadder star Sir Tony Robinson (£25) and the US actress Megan Fox (£85).
Eccleston, who was the ninth Doctor for one series in 2005, has previously declined most convention invitations, allowing organisers to charge a premium. Many fans welcomed the chance to meet their hero, but others were angry at being forced to pay more than £200 to guarantee getting an autograph.
One tweeted: "It's events like this you realise how disgusting and greedy these people are. This is nothing short of exploiting fans."
Another added: "I love Christopher Eccleston, he was my first Doctor and I love his acting ... but there's no way I'm paying that much."
Eccleston's publicist declined to reveal how much he was being paid for appearing or what percentage of the fees he would receive. "Christopher has no involvement in establishing fees for London Comic Con. These are set by the organisers," he said.
Showmasters, the company behind the convention, defended the fees and said that they were in line with other recent Doctors. Peter Capaldi, the 12th Doctor, is signing autographs at the event for £75, or £225 for a "diamond pass". A spokesman said that conventions were "luxury items".
Caption: Fans who want an autograph from Christopher Eccleston will have to pay £95, more than the £85 Megan Fox charges
Signature style
Colin Baker
£15 autograph
£15 photo. or £25 with the Tardis.
Bonnie Langford
£10 autograph
£10 photo, or £25 with Colin Baker.
Pearl Mackie
£35 autograph
£35 photo.
Previous years:
Michael J Fox (2015)
£445 for the "diamond package", which included an autograph and several photos.
Hayley Atwell
£45 for autograph.
Neve Campbell (2015)
£35 for an autograph £35 for a photo.
Guest Appearance Information
This will be Christopher's first signing at a convention event in the world!
Attending: Sunday
Autograph Price: £95
Photo Shoot Price: £85
Photo Shoot Price with the exterior of the TARDIS: £95
Diamond Pass Price: £235
1x Guaranteed autograph from Christopher
1x Guaranteed standard Photo Shoot with Christopher
1x Exclusive mug
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: (2018-03-30). Charging what for a photo with Who?. The Times p. 17.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Charging what for a photo with Who?." The Times [add city] 2018-03-30, 17. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Charging what for a photo with Who?." The Times, edition, sec., 2018-03-30
- Turabian: "Charging what for a photo with Who?." The Times, 2018-03-30, section, 17 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Charging what for a photo with Who? | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Charging_what_for_a_photo_with_Who%3F | work=The Times | pages=17 | date=2018-03-30 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=12 March 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Charging what for a photo with Who? | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Charging_what_for_a_photo_with_Who%3F | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=12 March 2025}}</ref>
