Peter Davison

Not to be confused with Pete Davidson.

For other people named Peter Davison, see Peter Davison (disambiguation).

Peter Davison
Davison in 2016
Born	Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (1951-04-13) 13 April 1951 Streatham, London, England
Alma mater	Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1975–present
Spouses	Diane J. Russell ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1975)​ Sandra Dickinson ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1994)​ Elizabeth Morton ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	3, including Georgia Tennant
Relatives	David Tennant (son-in-law) Ty Tennant (grandson)
Signature

Peter Malcolm Gordon Moffett (born 13 April 1951), known professionally as Peter Davison, is an English actor. He made his television acting debut in 1975 and became famous in 1978 as Tristan Farnon in the BBC's television adaptation of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small stories. He subsequently played the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who from 1981 to 1984.

Davison's other starring roles included the sitcoms Holding the Fort (1980–1982) and Sink or Swim (1980–1982), Dr. Stephen Daker in A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–1988), and Albert Campion in Campion (1989–1990). He also played David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites (2000–2003), "Dangerous" Davies in The Last Detective (2003–2007), and Henry Sharpe in Law & Order: UK (2011–2014).

Early life

Davison was born to Claude and Sheila Moffett in Streatham, London. Claude was from British Guiana (now Guyana), and worked as a radio engineer before opening a grocer's shop, while Sheila worked in intelligence during World War II before becoming a housewife. Davison had three sisters: Shirley, Pamela and Barbara. While in Streatham, he attended Granton Primary School. The family then moved to Knaphill in Surrey. During this time, Davison was a member of an amateur theatre company called the Byfleet Players.

Before becoming an actor, Davison gained one O-level in English Language at Winston Churchill School, St John's, Woking, Surrey, and then had several odd jobs, including a stint as a mortuary attendant and a Hoffman Press operator. Early aspirations at a teacher-training college or his father's plan for a job at a building society vanished.

Davison studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His first job was as an actor and assistant stage manager at the Nottingham Playhouse. He chose the stage name Peter Davison to avoid confusion with the actor and director Peter Moffatt, with whom Davison later worked. He only uses Davison professionally.

Career

Davison's first television work was a 1975 episode of the children's science fiction television programme The Tomorrow People, alongside American actress Sandra Dickinson, whom he married on 26 December 1978. Davison portrayed an alien named Elmer, who arrives on Earth along with his sister (played by Dickinson) and his mother, known as "the Mama" (played by Margaret Burton).In the mid-1970s, during a lull in his acting career, Davison spent 18 months working in a tax office in Twickenham.In 1976, Davison was offered a prominent role in the 13-part TV series Love for Lydia opposite Jeremy Irons; the series was broadcast on ITV the following year.

Davison has also appeared in several British sitcoms, including Holding the Fort (1980–82) and Sink or Swim (1980–82), as well as appearing in dramatic roles.

All Creatures Great and Small (1978–1990)

In 1978, Davison's performance as the youthfully mischievous Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small made him a household name. Davison was absent for 24 episodes in the second run of the series, including the majority of series five and six, due to other acting commitments.

Doctor Who (1981–1984 and later revivals)

Main article: Fifth Doctor

In 1980, Davison signed a contract to play the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who for three years, succeeding Tom Baker (the Fourth Doctor) and, at age 29, was at the time the youngest actor to have played the lead role, a record he retained for nearly thirty years until Matt Smith (the Eleventh Doctor) took the role in 2009 at age 26. Attracting such a high-profile actor as Davison was as much of a coup for the programme as getting the role was for him, but he did not renew his contract because he feared being typecast. Patrick Troughton (who had played the Second Doctor and whom Davison had watched on the programme as a teenager) recommended to Davison that he leave the role after three years, and Davison followed his advice. The Fifth Doctor encountered many of the Doctor's best-known adversaries, including the Cybermen in Earthshock (1982) and the Daleks and Davros in Resurrection of the Daleks (1984). In the 1983 serial Arc of Infinity, in addition to portraying the Fifth Doctor, Davison portrayed the human form of Omega, sharing the role with Ian Collier.

Since 1999, Davison has reprised his role as the Fifth Doctor in numerous Doctor Who audio dramas for Big Finish Productions; he also reprised the role of Omega in an audio drama of the same name, again sharing the role with Collier. He returned to the TV series in "Time Crash", a special episode written by Steven Moffat for Children in Need; in the episode (2007) the Fifth Doctor met the Tenth Doctor, played by Davison's future son-in-law David Tennant.

Davison has been critical of some aspects of Doctor Who's original run, and has expressed great admiration for the 21st century revival. In 2008, he spoke unfavourably of some of the writing for the series during his tenure, saying some of the scripts had been "suspect" and "knocked off" by authors who had not been science fiction fans, which he contrasted with the revived series and Big Finish audio productions. In 2013, he also praised the frisson between the Doctor and companions in the revived series, and argued that the previous series had struggled to "write a good companion's part" because "they never once thought it was a good idea to put any frisson or sexual tension – even in its most innocent form – between the Doctor and companion". Davison said the series had failed to write a good companion's part until Rose, when the series came back. Interviewed in 2013, Davison stated that The Caves of Androzani, The Visitation and Earthshock were his favourite serials from his time on the series, and that Time-Flight was the biggest disappointment because of a lack of budget.

In 2013, Davison said he had a "slight problem" with a female Doctor, which he compared to having "a female James Bond". In July 2017, Davison reacted positively to the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, but said he was sad about "the loss of a role model for boys". Davison closed his Twitter account following the backlash to his comments, saying the "toxicity" from the series’ viewers on both sides of the dispute had been "sobering".

In 2022, Davison returned to portray the Doctor on television again in "The Power of the Doctor". He reprised the role again in Tales of the TARDIS.

1984–present

After Davison left Doctor Who in 1984, he took a role in Anna of the Five Towns, a period drama. In 1985, he appeared in an All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special, and a feature-length episode of the American show Magnum, P.I. ("Deja Vu"), set in the UK. Davison played Dr Stephen Daker, the central character in A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–88). Written by Andrew Davies, it concerns a university's health centre; Daker is the centre's only effective physician. The black comedy-drama ran for two series and had a sequel with A Very Polish Practice in 1992, a television film mainly set in a post-communist Polish hospital. In 1986 he appeared as Lance Fortescue in an episode of the BBC's Miss Marple ("A Pocketful of Rye").

Davison reprised his role as Tristan Farnon in four more series of All Creatures Great and Small between 1988 and 1990, although he was absent from 24 episodes of the final three to play the lead in Campion, a series based on the period whodunnits of Margery Allingham. He appeared in the sitcoms Fiddlers Three for ITV in 1991, and Ain't Misbehavin' in 1993 and 1995. He played Jim Huxtable in the 1993 TV movie Harnessing Peacocks, based on the novel by Mary Wesley.

Davison in 2004

In 1994, Davison provided the voice of Mole in The Wind in the Willows animated special Mole's Christmas. He also appeared as a doctor in Heartbeat episode "A Bird in the Hand", and played Squire Gordon in the 1994 film of Black Beauty. Davison presented Heavenly Bodies, a six-part series about astronomy (1995). Davison guest starred in the sixth episode of the crime drama Jonathan Creek in 1998 as the son-in-law of a horror writer who was shot dead on Halloween. The following year he played the outgoing head teacher in the television series Hope and Glory, and appeared in Parting Shots, the last film to be directed by Michael Winner.

In 2000, Davison returned to another major role as David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites. During convention appearances in 2013, Davison cited this as his favourite among the roles he has played. Also in 2000, he appeared in the recurring role of Inspector Christmas in several episodes of Diana Rigg's Mrs Bradley Mysteries. The first episode, Death at the Opera, saw Davison appear with his future son-in-law (and future Doctor Who actor), David Tennant. Davison starred as Dangerous Davies in the television series The Last Detective (2003–2007) and as Dr Bill Shore in Distant Shores (2005–2008), both for ITV. In 2006, he appeared as Professor George Huntley in The Complete Guide to Parenting, and appeared as himself in the TV series Hardware. Davison starred as Martin Chadwick, one half of an overworked couple coping with two irresponsible daughters and his senile mother at home, in the BBC Two comedy Fear, Stress and Anger (2007). The show also starred his daughter Georgia Tennant. Later in 2007, he played Hubert Curtain in an episode of ITV's Agatha Christie's Marple ("At Bertram's Hotel").

Davison at London Comic Con in 2016

In 2009, Davison appeared in Unforgiven, an ITV1 drama starring Suranne Jones. Davison played John Ingrams, a lawyer who helps Jones' character, Ruth Slater, find her sister after her release from prison. In July 2009, he appeared in an episode of Midsomer Murders, and made a guest appearance as a teacher in the sitcom Miranda (2009). In 2009, Davison had a small role as a bank manager in Micro Men, a drama about the rise of the British home computer market in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 2009, he played Denis Thatcher in The Queen, a docudrama on Channel 4.

In 2010, Davison was announced as joining the regular cast of the UK version of Law and Order as Henry Sharpe, the Director of the London Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Davison appeared from the beginning of the series' fifth season, alongside fellow Doctor Who actress Freema Agyeman. He appeared in an episode of the police comedy-drama New Tricks (2011), and in 2013 he played divorcee Michael in the comedy series Pat and Cabbage, as well as appearing in an episode of the ITV detective series Lewis.

Davison had been lined up to appear in writer/director Daisy Aitkens' first feature-length film You, Me and Him(2016). However, due to a scheduling clash, Davison was forced to pull out of the film. The film stars his son-in-law David Tennant, and is co-produced by Davison's daughter, Georgia. In 2017, Davison appeared in an episode of the third series of Grantchester, playing a cricket-loving solicitor.

Davison appeared with Christopher Timothy in the three-part series Great British Car Journeys(2018) (known internationally as Vintage Roads Great & Small) for More4. In the first series the pair travelled in a Morgan 4/4 on three trips from London to Land's End, from Loch Ness to The Isle of Skye and from Cardiff to Snowdonia. The series was recommissioned by Channel 4 for a second series on More4 (2019). He narrated the tenth season of Channel 5's documentary series, The Yorkshire Vet, which follows a number of veterinarians working in Weatherby, Kirkbymoorside and Huddersfield.

Radio

Davison has appeared in several radio series, including the BBC Radio 4 comedy drama series King Street Junior (1985). He appeared in Change at Oglethorpe (1995), and the following year he played Richard Stubbs in a six-part comedy Minor Adjustment. Davison played Dr Anthony Webster in the comedy series Rigor Mortis on Radio 4 in 2003 and 2006, and made a guest appearance in the first episode of the second series of the BBC Radio 4 science fiction comedy series Nebulous (2006). In 2008, Davison voiced Simon Draycott in the radio adaptation of The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, and between 2012 and 2013 he played Richard Lyons in the BBC Radio 2 comedy Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully.

Theatre roles

Davison appeared in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park (at the Apollo Theatre alongside his then wife, Sandra Dickinson (1984). In 1991, he appeared in Arsenic and Old Lace at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Further theatre appearances during the 1990s include: The Last Yankee, by Arthur Miller at the Young Vic Theatre and later the Duke of York's Theatre, London in 1993, and Vatelin in An Absolute Turkey, by Georges Feydeau, at the Gielgud Theatre in 1994. In 1996 he played the role of Tony Wendice in the theatrical production of Dial M for Murder. Davison appeared as Amos Hart in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre in 1999, and played Dr Jean-Pierre Moulineaux, in Under the Doctor at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley and later at the Comedy Theatre, London (2001).

Between July 2007 and March 2008, Davison performed as King Arthur in the London production of Spamalot. Throughout 2010 and 2011, Davison appeared as Professor Callahan in the West End production of Legally Blonde, which opened at the Savoy Theatre.

Davison played the part of Oliver Lucas in David Hare's play The Vertical Hour at the Park Theatre, London (2014). In 2015, Davison joined the cast of Gypsy in its West End transfer to the Savoy Theatre in London, playing the role of Herbie, alongside Imelda Staunton as Rose.

In 2024 Davison joined the cast of the musical Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican Theatre, playing the part of the General.

Other work

Davison and his wife composed and performed the theme tunes to Button Moon, a children's programme broadcast in the 1980s, and Mixed Blessings, a sitcom broadcast on ITV in 1978. Davison subsequently appeared alongside Dickinson as the Dish of the Day in the television version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in 1981.

Davison was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1982 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while filming a promotional piece for Doctor Who in Trafalgar Square in London.

Davison lent his name to be used to endorse two science-fiction anthology books published by Hutchinson: Peter Davison's Book of Alien Monsters released in 1982 and Peter Davison's Book of Alien Planets released in 1983.

Personal life

Davison has been married three times. His 1973 marriage to Diane J. Russell ended with divorce in 1975.

On 26 December 1978, Davison married American-British actress Sandra Dickinson. The couple divorced in 1994. Davison's daughter from his second marriage is actress Georgia Tennant, then Georgia Moffett (born 1984). In December 2011, she married actor David Tennant, who played the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors.

Davison married his third wife, actress and writer Elizabeth Morton, in 2003. The couple live in Twickenham and have two sons, Louis (born 1999) and Joel (born 2001). They both appeared in The Five(ish) Doctors playing themselves. Louis Moffett made his professional theatrical acting debut aged 14, playing Prince Edward in the 2014 Trafalgar Studios stage production of Richard III, credited as Louis Davison, having adopted his father's stage name as his own. His brother Joel also made his theatrical debut aged 13 in the summer of 2014, playing Jack in The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond. Louis Davison plays the part of Victor in Tim Burton's film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children released in 2016, and Joel Davison played Lord Heybrook in French Without Tears at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond. Louis has appeared as Parker Whitfield in BBC One's Holby City, and as King Edmund Ironside in Netflix's Vikings: Valhalla.

Davison's autobiography, Is There Life Outside the Box?: An Actor Despairs, was published in 2016.

Political views

In April 2010, Davison declared his support for the Labour Party at the general election of that year. In the election campaign, Davison narrated one of Labour's election broadcasts. Davison was also one of 48 celebrities who signed a letter warning voters against Conservative Party policy towards the BBC.

Davison publicly supported the UK's membership of the European Union in the 2016 EU referendum, describing Brexit supporters as "mad old farts who want to return the country to an age that never existed".

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993	Harnessing Peacocks	Jim Huxtable
	The Airzone Solution	Al Dunbar
1994	Black Beauty	Squire Gordon
	The Zero Imperative	Patient One
	A Man You Don't Meet Every Day	Robert
1995	The Devil of Winterborne	Gavin Purcell
1996	Ghosts of Winterborne
1998	Wuthering Heights	Joseph Lockwood
	The Stalker's Apprentice	Maurice Burt
	Parting Shots	John
2014	Nerd Love	Himself
2016	End of Term	Leigh
2017	You, Me and Him	Teacher
2018	Patrick	Alan
	Say My Name	Rich Herbig
2020	Dream Horse	Lord Avery

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1975	The Tomorrow People	Elmer	3 episodes
1977	Love for Lydia	Tom Holland	10 episodes
1978–1990	All Creatures Great and Small	Tristan Farnon	65 episodes
1980–1982	Sink or Swim	Brian Webber	All 19 episodes
	Holding the Fort	Russell Milburn	All 20 episodes
1981	The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy	Dish of the Day	Episode: #1.5
1981–1984, 2007, 2022	Doctor Who	Fifth Doctor	76 episodes (including a minisode)
1983		Omega	Serial: Arc of Infinity
1985	Fox Tales	Various	Voice only
	Anna of the Five Towns	Henry Mynors	All 4 episodes
	Agatha Christie's Miss Marple	Lance Fortescue	Episode: "A Pocket Full of Rye"
	Magnum, P.I.	Ian Mackerras	Episode: "Déjà vu"
1986–1988	A Very Peculiar Practice	Dr Stephen Daker	15 episodes
1988	Tales of the Unexpected	Jeremy Tyler	Episode: "Wink Three Times"
1989–1990	Campion	Albert Campion	16 episodes
1991	Fiddlers Three	Ralph West	All 14 episodes
1992	Screen One	Dr Stephen Daker	Episode: "A Very Polish Practice"
	Kinsey	Bob Stacey	2 episodes
1993	Dimensions in Time	Fifth Doctor	Children in Need special
1994	Heartbeat	Doctor	Episode: "A Bird in the Hand"
1994–1995	Ain't Misbehavin'	Clive Quigley	All 12 episodes
1995	Mole's Christmas	Various	Voice only
1996	Cuts	Henry Babbacombe	TV film
1997	Dear Nobody	Mr Garton
	Scene		Episode: "A Man of Letters"
1998	Jonathan Creek	Stephen Claithorne	Episode: "Danse Macabre"
	Verdict	Michael Naylor	Episode: "Be My Valentine"
1999	Molly	Mr Greenfield	Unknown episodes
	Hope and Glory	Neil Bruce	Episode 1
	The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything	Ferdinand Magellan	TV film
2000	The Mrs Bradley Mysteries	Inspector Henry Christmas	3 episodes
2000–2003	At Home with the Braithwaites	David Braithwaite	26 episodes
2003	Too Good to be True	Robert	TV film
2003–2007	The Last Detective	DC 'Dangerous' Davies	All 17 episodes
2005–2008	Distant Shores	Bill Shore	12 episodes
2006	The Complete Guide to Parenting	Professor George Huntley	5 episodes
2007	Fear, Stress and Anger	Martin Chadwick	All 6 episodes
	Agatha Christie's Marple	Hubert Curtain	Episode: "At Bertram’s Hotel"
2009	Unforgiven	John Ingrams	All 3 episodes
	Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder	Nazi Doctor	Episode: #1.4
	Micro Men	Bank Manager	TV film
	Midsomer Murders	Nicky Frazer	Episode: "Secrets and Spies"
	Miranda	Mr Clayton	Episode: "Teacher"
	The Queen	Denis Thatcher	Episode: "The Rival"
2010	Sherlock	Planetarium Voice	Episode: "The Great Game"
2011	New Tricks	Charles Allenforth	Episode: "The End of the Line"
2011–2014	Law & Order: UK	Henry Sharpe	27 episodes
2013	Lewis	Peter Faulkner	2 episodes
	Pat & Cabbage	Michael	4 episodes
	The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot	Himself	Also writer and director
2014	Death in Paradise	Arnold Finch	Episode: "The Wrong Man"
2014–2015	Toast of London	Himself	3 episodes
2017	Brian Pern: A Tribute	Peter Troughton	TV film
	Grantchester	Geoff Towler	Episode: #3.2
	Liar	Denis Walters	2 episodes
2019	Vera	Matthew Wells	Episode "Blind Spot"
	The Name of the Rose	Old Adso	7 episodes
2019–2022	Gentleman Jack	William Priestley	7 episodes
2020	The Trial of Christine Keeler	James Burge	2 episodes
	Thunderbirds Are Go	Higgins	Voice; Episode: "Venom"
	Life	Henry Reynolds	All 6 episodes
	Call the Midwife	Mr. Percival	Episode: "Christmas Special"
2021–2022	The Larkins	The Vicar	All 8 episodes
2022	Bloods	Alistair MacBeal	Episode: #2.6
2023	The Gold	ACP Gordon Stewart	5 episodes
	The Windsors	William IV	Coronation special
	Good Omens	Job	Episode: "The Clue"
	Tales of the TARDIS	Fifth Doctor	Episode: "Earthshock"
	Murder, They Hope	David	Episode: "Blood Actually"
2024	Beyond Paradise	Peter	3 episodes
TBA	Riot Women

Non-acting television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2018-2019	Great British Car Journeys	Himself	The first series was also known as Vintage Roads Great and Small in North America
2020–present	The Yorkshire Vet	Narrator	Also features on-screen in a couple of the specials, acting in short dramatic scenes with the vets and farmer Jean Green
2023	The Big Steam Adventure	Himself	Peter Davison, John Sergeant and steam buff Paul Middleton travel from London to Scotland using only steam power.

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1972	Love's Labour's Lost	Mercade	Nottingham Playhouse
	Brand	villager
	Robin Hood	Robin Hood
	The Three Musketeers	John Felton/Guard
1973	The Two Gentlemen of Verona	Speed	Young Lyceum, Edinburgh
	Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead	Alfred	Ledlanet House, Edinburgh
	Hamlet	Osric
	Woyzeck		Young Lyceum, Edinburgh
	The Three Estates	Soldier	Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
	The Taming of the Shrew	Tranio/Grumio	Open Space Theatre/Dutch tour
1974	A Narrow Road to the Deep North		Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
	Midsummer Night's Dream	Lysander	Leith Festival, Edinburgh
1980	Barefoot in the Park	Paul Bratter	Churchill Theatre, Bromley
1982	Cinderella	Buttons	Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells
1984	Barefoot in the Park	Paul Bratter	UK tour
1986	The Owl and the Pussycat	Felix
1991	Arsenic and Old Lace	Mortimer Brewster	Chichester Festival Theatre
1992	The Decorator		Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
1992–1993	The Last Yankee	Leroy Hamilton	Young Vic Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
1994	An Absolute Turkey	Valetin	Gielgud Theatre
1996	Dial M for Murder	Tony Wendice	UK tour
1997	Cinderella	Buttons	Arts Theatre, Cambridge
1998–1999	Chicago	Amos Hart	Adelphi Theatre
2001	Under the Doctor	Dr Jean-Pierre Moulineaux	Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and Comedy Theatre, London
2007–2008	Spamalot	King Arthur	Palace Theatre
2009–2012	Legally Blonde	Professor Calahan	Savoy Theatre
2014	The Vertical Hour	Oliver Lucas	Park Theatre
2015	Gypsy	Herbie	Savoy Theatre
2024	Kiss Me, Kate	Harrison Howell	Barbican Theatre

Radio and audio drama

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985–1987	King Street Junior	Eric Brown	BBC Radio 4 Series 1 and 2
1995–1996	Change at Oglethorpe	David Clare	BBC Radio 2
1999–present	Doctor Who: The Audio Adventures	Fifth Doctor	Big Finish Productions; 156 episodes
2003–2006	Rigor Mortis	Dr. Anthony Webster	BBC Radio 4
2006	Nebulous	Professor Diplodocus
2008	The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul	Simon Draycott
2012–2013	Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully	Richard Lyons	BBC Radio 2
2018	The Diary of River Song	Fifth Doctor	Big Finish Productions; Series 3

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Destiny of the Doctors	Fifth Doctor
2015	Lego Dimensions		Archive recording sound
2023	Lies of P	Pulcinella

Books

• Davison, Peter (2016). Is There Life Outside The Box?. John Blake Publishing. ISBN 9781786063274.

External links

• Peter Davison at IMDb
• Peter Davison Biography – British Film Institute
• Violence & Vulnerability – Peter Davison article at Kasterborous.com^[usurped]
• Chicago TARDIS 2011 – Peter Davison Interview on The Omega Podcast