Peter Davison open to Doctor Who return

Peter Davison has spoken about the possibility of returning to Doctor Who for its 50th anniversary in 2013.

The actor played the fifth Doctor between 1981 and 1984 taking over from Tom Baker who had been in the role for seven years. Davison reprised the role for the 1993 Children in Need special Dimensions in Time and more recently for Time Crash opposite David Tennant. As the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who approaches speculation is increasing about how the series will mark the occasion with a multi-Doctor story is being touted by fans and the press as the most likely way. In a recent interview Davison discussed the possibility of a return.

“I feel no need to turn my back on it, but I don’t feel like it’s the kind of thing they’d do. I’d be very surprised if they tried to do anything involving the old Doctors because it always takes a slight stretch of the imagination anyway to figure out why the previous Doctors look older – but I’m sure that can be done. But at the same time I’m not sort of longing on it. I’m perfectly happy to have played my part to go back to ‘Time Crash’. I don’t feel like I’m hanging on a phone call from the ‘Doctor Who’ offices saying let’s do something special.” – Peter Davison speaking to Contact Music

Other former Doctor Who actors who have indicated they’d be willing to return for the 50th anniversary include David Tennant and John Barrowman. Christopher Eccleston, who played the 9th Doctor for a single season in 2009, has indicated he would be unlikely to reprise his role.

The 10th anniversary of Doctor Who in 1973 was marked with the first multi-Doctor story as Patrick Troughton and William Hartnell, in a cameo capacity, returned to appear alongside then current lead actor Jon Pertwee in The Three Doctors. The 20th anniversary was also marked with a multi-doctor story, The Five Doctors. Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton reprised their roles starring alongside Peter Davison who was in the lead role then. Tom Baker declined to appear and so footage from the uncompleted story Shada, which also featured Lalla Ward, was used in the story. By 1983 actor William Hartnell had died so Richard Hurndall, who resembled the actor, was hired to play the first Doctor. The Five Doctors also saw a host of other actors reprise their roles as companions such as Carol Ann Ford, Nicholas Courtney, Elisabeth Sladen, Frazer Hines, Wendy Padbury, Caroline John, Richard Franklin and John Leeson as the voice of K9.

How would you like the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who to be marked? Would you like to see the remaining Doctor Who actors reprise their roles or maybe something completely different from the series? Post your suggestions at the bottom of the page.

(Via the Doctor Who Newspage)