By Jacob Stolworthy
Doctor Who star Peter Davison, who played the Time Lord from 1982 to 1984, has criticised recent series of the long-running programme for their 鈥渉uge gaps in narrative鈥.
Davison, 74, who followed Tom Baker as the fifth incarnation of the character, has questioned the quality of the science-fiction show since the BBC rebooted it in 2005.
鈥淔or some reason, in science fiction, they feel like they need to go at 100 miles per hour,鈥 the actor told The Lewis Nicholls Show.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e just leaping onto the next bit and your brain is meant to fill in the gaps… Maybe if you鈥檙e young and healthy, you can do that. I don鈥檛 know.鈥
Davison compared recent episodes of Doctor Who to 鈥渁 trailer鈥 for something 鈥測ou鈥檇 like to watch later鈥.
He said that network bosses鈥 concern over 鈥減eople鈥檚 attention spans鈥 could be contributing to what he believes is a worsening state of TV.
鈥淚f something isn鈥檛 happening every two minutes, they think people are going to turn off, which I don鈥檛 believe is true,鈥 he continued.
However, Davison did acknowledge that returning showrunner Russell T Davies has 鈥渃ured鈥 old Doctor Who鈥檚 oft-criticised habit of underusing the lead character鈥檚 companion. But he said the show now prioritises visual effects over story.
鈥淎s the special effects got even better, there鈥檚 a danger that it becomes just about them,鈥 he remarked.
Davison has remained a Doctor Who fixture over the years, reprising his role for a brief cameo in Jodie Whittaker鈥檚 final episode back in 2022. Whittaker herself returned for a brief appearance in Ncuti Gatwa鈥檚 swansong last month.
Davison has also recorded an audio special alongside David Tennant, another ex-Doctor Who star who led the series from 2005 to 2010. The stars have a link away from the show 鈥 Davison鈥檚 daughter, Georgia, has been married to Tennant since 2011.
Tennant met Georgia after appearing on the BBC show together in 2008 episode 鈥淭he Doctor鈥檚 Daughter鈥 鈥 and, in 2020, admitted he 鈥渇elt a bit stupid鈥 marrying the child of a fellow Doctor Who star.
鈥淏ecause Doctor Who had run through my life like a stick of rock, to end up marrying the daughter of one of the doctors, it all felt a bit stupid 鈥 there were a lot of things against it,鈥 the Scottish actor said about their relationship on broadcaster Gaby Roslin鈥檚 podcast.
However, Georgia said she was 鈥渧ery much the driving force鈥 for their relationship, stating: 鈥淗ad I not worked quite so hard, it might not have happened.鈥