46 Facts About Peter Davison

Peter Davison 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.

Peter Davison was born to Claude and Sheila Moffett in Streatham, London.

Peter Davison studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Peter Davison chose the stage name Peter Davison to avoid confusion with the actor and director Peter Moffatt, with whom Davison later worked.

Peter 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.

Peter Davison portrayed an alien named Elmer, who arrives on Earth along with his sister and his mother, known as "the Mama".

In 1980, Peter Davison signed a contract to play the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who for three years, succeeding Tom Baker 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 took the role in 2009 at age 26.

Since leaving Doctor Who, Peter Davison has returned to the franchise several times.

Peter Davison did, in fact, return to play the Fifth Doctor in the 1993 multi-doctor charity special Dimensions in Time and in the 1997 video game Destiny of the Doctors.

Peter Davison returned to the TV series in "Time Crash", a special episode written by Steven Moffat for Children in Need; in the episode, which aired on 16 November 2007, the Fifth Doctor met the Tenth Doctor, played by Davison's future son-in-law David Tennant.

In 2012, Peter Davison expressed further interest in returning to the role of the Doctor for the series' 50th anniversary special, but he did not appear.

Peter Davison did write and direct The Five Doctors Reboot, an affectionate and comedic fictionalised account of Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and himself attempting to get parts in the Anniversary Special, featuring cameos from numerous Doctor Who cast, crew, and famous fans.

In July 2018, Peter Davison reprised the role of the Doctor at the live show "The Muppets Take the O2" during the Pigs in Space sketch Mirthshock.

Peter Davison has been critical of some aspects of Doctor Whos original run, and has expressed great admiration for the 21st century revival.

Peter Davison played Dr Stephen Daker, the central character in A Very Peculiar Practice.

Peter 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.

Peter Davison appeared in the sitcoms Fiddlers Three for ITV in 1991, and Ain't Misbehavin' in 1993 and 1995.

Peter Davison played Jim Huxtable in the 1993 TV movie Harnessing Peacocks, based on the novel by Mary Wesley.

Peter Davison appeared as a doctor in Heartbeat episode "A Bird in the Hand", and played Squire Gordon in the 1994 film of Black Beauty.

Peter Davison presented Heavenly Bodies, a six-part series about astronomy broadcast on BBC1 in 1995.

Peter 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 first episode, Death at the Opera, saw Peter Davison appear with his future son-in-law, David Tennant.

Peter Davison starred as Dangerous Davies in the television series The Last Detective and as Dr Bill Shore in Distant Shores, both for ITV.

Peter Davison played John Ingrams, a lawyer who helps Jones' character, Ruth Slater, find her sister after her release from prison.

In October 2009, Peter Davison was seen in a small but memorable 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, and in December 2009, he played Denis Thatcher in The Queen, a docudrama on Channel 4.

In November 2010, it was announced that Peter Davison would be joining the regular cast of the UK version of Law and Order as Henry Sharpe, the Director of the London Crown Prosecution Service.

Peter Davison's appeared from the beginning of the series' fifth season, alongside fellow Doctor Who actress Freema Agyeman.

Peter Davison appeared in an episode of the police comedy-drama New Tricks in 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.

However, due to a scheduling clash, Peter Davison was forced to pull out of the film.

In 2017, Peter Davison appeared in an episode of the third series of Grantchester, playing a cricket-loving solicitor.

In 2018, Peter Davison appeared with Christopher Timothy in the three-part series Great British Car Journeys for More4.

Peter Davison's home was equipped with a recording studio, making the role practical for him.

Peter Davison has appeared in several radio series, including the BBC Radio 4 comedy drama series King Street Junior in 1985.

Peter Davison played teacher Eric Brown he left after two series and was replaced by Karl Howman.

Peter 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, broadcast in April 2006,.

Peter 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 in 2001.

Between July 2007 and March 2008, Peter Davison performed as King Arthur in the London production of Spamalot.

Peter Davison played the part of Oliver Lucas in David Hare's play The Vertical Hour at the Park Theatre, London between September and October 2014.

Peter 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.

Peter Davison has appeared in several British sitcoms, including Holding the Fort and Sink or Swim, as well as appearing in dramatic roles.

Peter 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.

Peter Davison married his third wife, actress and writer Elizabeth Morton, in 2003.

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 Peter Davison, having adopted his father's stage name as his own.

Louis Peter Davison plays the part of Victor in Tim Burton's film, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children released in 2016, and Joel Peter Davison played Lord Heybrook in French Without Tears at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond.

Peter Davison was one of 48 celebrities who signed a letter warning voters against Conservative Party policy towards the BBC.

Peter 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".