Doctor Who legend talks classic BBC drama role as it turns 40: “I was very much the straight man, surrounded by these lunatics”

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In 1986, Peter Davison was one of the most well-known actors in Britain. He had just finished playing vet Tristan Farnon in the popular series All Creatures Great and Small, which regularly attracted over 20 million viewers, and was also known for his role as the fifth Doctor in Doctor Who.

So, what attracted him to the unusual part of Stephen Daker, a hopeful new doctor who arrives at a medical center at the made-up Lowlands University – a location established early on as being quite remote?

Looking back on A Very Peculiar Practice, which is marking its 40th anniversary this week with a broadcast on BBC Four and a new introduction from its writer, 89-year-old Andrew Davies, Davison recalls it being the first script he ever received that he felt was perfect as written.

Peculiar Practice is one of the few truly original works by the writer who later became famous for adapting period novels for television, and actor Peter Davison recalls, “Unlike with shows like All Creatures Great and Small and Doctor Who, where we often adjusted the scripts, you wouldn’t dare change a word of Andrew’s writing.”

So, Davison accepted a role in a strange and funny show loosely based on the writer’s own experiences. The writer had previously taught at Warwick University and was actually still employed there when the BBC asked him to create a drama. However, he felt the initial idea wasn’t working and didn’t finish it. When the BBC understandably requested a refund, he found he’d already spent the money and needed a new idea – leading to the creation of Peculiar Practice.

Davison really enjoyed working with the actors and the characters they portrayed. Barbara Flynn, who now appears in Beyond Paradise, played the boldly feminist and flirtatious Dr. Rose Marie, while David Troughton (currently Tony in The Archers) was brilliantly shifty as Bob Buzzard, constantly hatching plans for his own benefit. Davies even invented a character, Ron Rust (played by Joe Melia), who was in debt to the BBC – owing £17,000 – and had to write a script to repay it.

Davison laughs, recalling how he played the sensible one amongst a very silly group. He felt he was the audience’s stand-in, reacting to all the craziness, and he enjoyed that role. Everyone had a lot of fun while filming.

Viewers were confused by the show’s content. Creator Andrew Davies mixed serious subjects like student demonstrations and foreign funding of universities with bizarre, unexplained details, such as the recurring appearance of two nuns. According to Davison, Davies mentioned seeing nuns everywhere, so director David Tucker decided to include them in the series.

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A Very Peculiar Practice remains a highly regarded BBC drama, achieving both critical acclaim and a growing audience upon its initial release. Peter Davison remembers a noticeable change between filming the first and second series, which took place at universities like Keele and Birmingham. He recalls that initially, students were unaware of the show being filmed, but by the second series, they were enthusiastic fans and eager to participate as extras.

Authors

Caroline Frost

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2026-05-11 19:38