Davison was natural Peter Moffett within London, his father being originally from either Guyana. He exposed at a Central School of Speech and Drama, & appeared inside many stage productions and a few minor television roles prior to he had his large break within 1978. His performance when a ne'er-run-easily Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small made him a personal title. He married Western actress Sandra Dickinson inside the same month, however it at length divorced in 1994. He & Dickinson got antecedently appeared together inside an episode of the television series The Tomorrow People (1975) & together composed and performed a theme tune to Button Moon, a babies's programme broadcast in the Eighties. He processed a cameo appearance alongside Dickinson when the Dish of the Day in the television version of ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981), whose producers considered it humorous for an actor known for playing a veterinary surgeon to appear as a cow. Davison likewise appeared within a select few British sitcoms, including Holding the Fort, Sink or Swim and Ain't Misbehavin''', as well as appearing in dramatic roles.

Within 1981, Davison signed a contract to play the Doctor for three years, succeeding Tom Baker (the Fourth Doctor). Attracting such the high-profile actor was as much of the coup for the programme's producers when experiencing a role was for him, however he did non renew his contract because he despised existence typecast. Reportedly, Patrick Troughton (who got played a 2nd Doctor) experienced recommended to Davison that he leave a role when trine years, & Davison followed his advice.

It was non until 1986 that Davison worked on an additional super popular series. He played Dr Stephen Daker, a artless hero of A Very Peculiar Practice, written by Andrew Davies. A surreal comedy-drama was revived many years late as A Very Polish Practice. Davison besides played a lead inside Campion, a series according to a time whodunnits of Margery Allingham. This, & a chance to play Tristan Farnon once more within 1985 and 1990, kept Davison occupy until a early 1990s, when he bit by bit faded from either a glare. He continued to come out now and then in television, including an appearance on the Western indicate Magnum, P.I., but it was not until 2000 that he returned in another major role, that of David Braithwaite in At Home with the Braithwaites.

Around 1999 he appeared when a extroverted headteacher within Hope And Glory.

He has as well starred in the television series The Last Detective (2003-date) and Distant Shores (2005) for ITV, the latter in which he coincidently likewise played the doctor. His girl using Dickinson, Georgia Moffett, is also an actress.

Davison returned to play a Doctor in the 1993 charity special Dimensions in Time. He has too reprised the role inside a series of audio plays by Big Finish Productions.

Davison is reported to produce the guest appearance in the 2nd series of the BBC Radio 4 science fiction comedy series Nebulous, due to become broadcast around Spring 2006.