Peter Davison - the Fifth Doctor - flies in for Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's concert of Doctor Who music

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Roger Young from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra meets a <i>Doctor Who</i> Dalek before performing with them in...
Roger Young from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra meets a <i>Doctor Who</i> Dalek before performing with them in...

Roger Young from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra meets a Doctor Who Dalek before performing with them in Melbourne this weekend. Source: News Limited

Still growing in popularity after 50 years, Davison says it's because Doctor Who fans go from watching the television series to creating it.

"A great number of people who work on the show are passionate fans who grew up watching the series," he says.

"The reason it came back is because Russell T. Davis was heartbroken when it went off the air. When the BBC asked him to write something he said, 'I want to bring back Doctor Who'.

"Now it's passed from Russell to the hands of Stephen Moffatt and you couldn't get a bigger fan than Stephen. And that will of course continue so I don't know when the series will ever go away."

Davidson, who played the title role from 1981-1984, says he was probably the first doctor to grow up watching the show.

He vividly remembers when the first episode went to air. It was the day after US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and a welcome bright spot amid an eerie and unforgettable time in history.

"You just remember everything about that time because it was such a shock. I was only 12 years old, but I knew something major had happened," Davison says.

"People were distracted, so the following week they showed the first episode and second episode of Doctor Who again. I remember sitting down to watch and thinking, this is great, it's on twice."

Peter Davison as Doctor Who in the 1980s.
Peter Davison as Doctor Who in the 1980s.

Davison will soon be in Melbourne to host the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular.

He doesn't mind being dragged back to the role he left behind 30 years ago, having been a success on screen and stage before and after his stint as one of television's most iconic characters.

Davison's long list of acting credits go from All Creatures Great and Small to the current series of Law & Order: UK to musicals including Chicago and Legally Blonde .

But when he hosts the symphonic spectacular at Plenary Hall, he says it will be all about the music.

"When you're watching TV or a movie, you're not fully aware of the music, it just sweeps you along," Davison says.

"But to hear it being played by a full orchestra is an extraordinary thing. The music of Doctor Who is amazing and nothing can compare to hearing it performed live."

The musical celebration of the BBC series will be based on the spectacular 50th anniversary concert at London's Royal Albert Hall in July.

The MSO, led by renowned conductor Ben Foster, will perform the music of Murray Gold, who has been the Doctor Who composer since 2005, as well as pieces from the past five decades.

"I love Murray's music, he writes amazing stuff," Davison says. "His influences are of other classical composers as well as the original series, and I think he's brought those two things together fantastically well. They're a very important part of the program."

The concert will be set against a big-screen backdrop of footage from the show as well as a procession of its other stars, such as Daleks and Cybermen.

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DOCTOR WHO SYMPHONIC SPECTACULAR
Plenary Hall, 7.30pm on January 31 and 2pm and 7.30pm on February 1
Bookings: www.mso.com.au or 9929 9600