Christopher Eccleston has admitted he regrets not continuing his role in Doctor Who for more than one series.

The former Time Lord, who was the first to play the role after the show returned in 2005, said it was “tragic” that he didn’t have time to develop the character.

Eccleston previously said he left the show because he didn’t agree with the way production was run.

But last week he told Australian radio show Drive on Melbourne 774 “There’s always regret when you play a role like that. It was kind of tragic for me that I didn’t play him for longer.

“He’s a beautiful character and I have a great deal of professional pride and had I done a second season there would have been a marked improvement in my performance. I was learning new skills in terms of playing light comedy.”

He added that some of the production decisions made in the first series of the show’s revival were a “disaster” but praised his successors in the role.

In 2013 Eccleston turned down the chance to star in the 50th anniversary episode of the long-running sci-fi show.