Fifth Dr Who is ready to quit
- Publication: Aberdeen Press and Journal
- Date: 1983-07-29
- Author:
- Page: 5
- Language: English
ACTOR Peter Davison is to quit as Dr Who when he finishes recording the current BBC TV series to be screened in January. Peter, the fifth Dr Who, took over the role nearly two years ago from Tom Baker.
Peter's last series will be his third in the role, but he will also be seen in "The Five Doctors", a 90-minute special celebrate the programme's 20th anniversary, and three complete "Dr Who" adventures to be screened in August.
John Nathan-Turner, who produces the programme, said yesterday: "I will be starting an immediate search for the sixth actor to play the lead role in the world's most popular TV silence fiction series."
During his stint the Doctor, Peter (31) became a cult figure in the US where the serial has a huge following. "Dr Who" has been sold in 39 countries.
Peter said later that when he took the role he was only going to play It for three years. "By the time the next series is seen I will have been in the role for three years and since the beginning of this year it has been a battle on whether I go back on what I said at the beginning. I have decided to stick to what I said."
Peter added that there was no significance in the timing of his announcement. Talking during a break in rehearsals at the BBC studios In North Acton, West London, he said: "I had to let the BBC know by a certain date whether I would be carrying on.
"There is danger, I feel, to actors who stay in a series for a very long time."
He would like to appear in a TV drama and next would do some theatre work.
"I feel it's something that I should do," said. "When you play a role tor a long time and you know exactly what you are going to doing for ths next year to 18 months it becomes very frightening."
Many actors were not used to security, he said. "While working on 'Dr Who' I have seen a lot of actors and friends passing through from one job on to another and I started to become envious of them. Knowing exactly what I would doing became rather frustrating" P
laying the doctor had been enjoyable role and an easy one, but he did not want to fall into the danger of playing the same part for too long.
Now Mr Nathan-Turner will begin to look for a new doctor who he says is likely to be slightly older than Peter—the youngest of the doctors and slightly more eccentric.
"He will be vastly different from Peter, I think one of the strengths and successes of the programme is because of differences between successive doctors,"
Peter announced in November, 1980, that he would be the fifth Dr Who and took over from Tom Baker to April the following year.
The current series will be screened by the BBC in January next year.
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- APA 6th ed.: (1983-07-29). Fifth Dr Who is ready to quit. Aberdeen Press and Journal p. 5.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Fifth Dr Who is ready to quit." Aberdeen Press and Journal [add city] 1983-07-29, 5. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Fifth Dr Who is ready to quit." Aberdeen Press and Journal, edition, sec., 1983-07-29
- Turabian: "Fifth Dr Who is ready to quit." Aberdeen Press and Journal, 1983-07-29, section, 5 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Fifth Dr Who is ready to quit | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Fifth_Dr_Who_is_ready_to_quit | work=Aberdeen Press and Journal | pages=5 | date=1983-07-29 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 May 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Fifth Dr Who is ready to quit | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Fifth_Dr_Who_is_ready_to_quit | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=5 May 2025}}</ref>
