The Biggest Regret: Unveiling the Real Reason Behind the Fourth Doctor's Absence in The Five Doctors
Tom Baker's absence in The Five Doctors left fans disappointed Explore the reasons behind his non-return and the impact it had on the Doctor Who storyline
Summary
Peter Davison regrets not having the opportunity to work with Tom Baker in "The Five Doctors" and admires him as a great actor.
Baker's absence from the special was justified in the storyline as an error made by the show's antagonist, resulting in his character being trapped in the Time Vortex instead.
To ensure the representation of all versions of the Doctor, the Doctor Who crew took unique measures, including incorporating footage from a lost Fourth Doctor episode and featuring a waxwork figure of Baker in promotional materials.
Fifth Doctor actor Peter Davison reflects on Doctor Who's 20th anniversary story "The Five Doctors" and expresses his regret at not being able to work with Fourth Doctor Tom Baker. Davison joined the series after Baker's final adventure in 1981 and played the Time Lord for three seasons. "The Five Doctors," which aired in 1983, brought together the five incarnations of the Doctor for a dangerous game on Gallifrey.
To celebrate the home release of Doctor Who: The Collection's season 20, Davison, Janet Fielding, and Sarah Sutton participated in a Q&A session after a screening of "The Five Doctors" at the BFI Southbank. During the Q&A, Davison revealed that Baker's absence from the special storyline was a disappointment for him, as he had hoped to work with his predecessor.
How Doctor Who's Crew Featured Tom Baker In "The Five Doctors"
I can't recall the exact moment when we discovered that Tom was no longer interested in participating. There was a considerable amount of back and forth, with him playfully teasing about his potential involvement... and then he ultimately decided against it. I believe he simply felt that after seven years, he wanted to distance himself from the project. I understood his reasoning, but it was still disappointing. He was an exceptional actor, someone I had admired for many years, not just on Doctor Who – so, yeah, it was definitely a thrilling experience.
In the Doctor Who universe, the absence of Baker in "The Five Doctors" was attributed to an error made by the story's unknown adversary while gathering the different versions of the Doctor from their respective timelines. As the Time Scoop aimed to retrieve the Fourth Doctor and Romana (played by Lalla Ward) during a leisurely gondola ride, they found themselves unexpectedly trapped in the Time Vortex instead of being taken to the Death Zone for the Game of Rassilon. Once the Doctors successfully fulfilled their mission, Rassilon (portrayed by Richard Mathews) intervened and released the Doctor and Romana from their predicament.
In order to ensure the representation of all incarnations of the Doctor in the story, the Doctor Who crew had to take interesting steps. After William Hartnell's passing, Richard Hurndall was cast to portray the First Doctor. The crew reused footage from the missing Fourth Doctor adventure "Shada" to create the sequences where Romana and the Doctor are collected by the Time Scoop. Additionally, promotional materials utilized a waxwork of Baker from Madame Tussauds for photoshoots featuring the other actors.
While "The Five Doctors" successfully celebrated Doctor Who's 20th anniversary, Baker's absence remains a peculiar aspect of the production. The shared scenes among numerous Doctors during the climax missed the opportunity to include the Fourth Doctor. However, Davison's explanation for Baker's motivation is understandable. Consequently, the regret expressed by the Fifth Doctor actor is relatable, leaving many to ponder how the Fourth Doctor would have been integrated into the beloved story.
Source: RadioTimes
