When Tom Baker stepped down from the TARDIS, it was the task of today’s birthday boy to take up the mantle. That’s right, we’re celebrating The Fifth Doctor himself – Peter Davison!
Already a household name from All Creatures Great and Small, Davison joined Doctor Who in 1981. He made his debut at the end of Tom Baker’s regeneration story, Logopolis. At the age of 29, he was the youngest actor to play The Doctor – at least, until Matt Smith in 2010. Davison would reappear in 1982 for Castrovalva and stayed with the show until 1984. His final story, The Caves of Androzani, remains one the most beloved Doctor Who stories of all time. The Fifth Doctor succumbed to the toxic drug spectrox after sacrificing himself to save new companion Peri.
“For some people, small, beautiful events are what life is all about”
Although Davison only stayed in the role for three years he starred in many iconic episodes. These included The Resurrection of the Daleks, The Five Doctors, and Earthshock, which saw the tragic death of companion Adric. Davison later returned in 1993’s Dimensions in Time and in 2007’s Children in Need special Time Crash. The latter saw him opposite Tenth Doctor David Tennant, who would later marry his daughter Georgia Moffett. Funnily enough, she previously played The Doctor’s daughter in, well, The Doctor’s Daughter. Wibbly wobbly, family wamily!
More recently, Davison masterminded 2013’s The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot alongside Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Paul McGann. In 2015, he returned to his duties as the host of the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular. With fans always clamouring for more, we’re sure it won’t be long before we see him pop up again somewhere in the extended Whoniverse.
Please join us in wishing Peter Davison a very happy birthday as he turns 66 today. We’ll all be wearing decorative vegetables in his honour!
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