★★★★★ 0/5

Vale: Elisabeth Sladen

Actress Elisabeth Sladen, best known as Doctor Who's companion Sarah Jane Smith, has died of cancer at the age of 63.

45
Leave a comment

Actress Elisabeth Sladen, best known as Doctor Who‘s companion Sarah Jane Smith has died of cancer at the age of 63.

It had not been widely known that she had been suffering from ill health.

Sladen joined the programme in 1973 and became one of the most popular companions in her role as Sarah Jane Smith alongside Jon Pertwee. She remained on the BBC show for a further three and a half seasons, continuing to assist the Doctor in his next incarnation as Tom Baker, before leaving in 1976.

As one of the most popular Dr Who assistants ever, the character of Sarah Jane was brought back for the new series, appearing alongside David Tennant..

She then returned to the series on a number of occasions over the years before her own 2007 show, The Sarah Jane Adventures, which introduced her to a new generation of fans  as an investigative journalist and mother, trying to defend Earth from extraterrestrial threats.

In a 2006 interview ahead of rejoining the series, she said: ‘I think it has lovely layers and I’d defend the programme to anyone.

“I’m very emotionally part of that programme and I think a lot of the people who worked on it are. You used to love going to work every day.”

The BBC had planned to produce a fifth series, but that now looks unlikely following her death.

She leaves behind her husband, actor Brian Miller, and daughter Sadie.

Tributes have been pouring in for the Liverpool-born actress.

Russell T Davies, creator of The Sarah Jane Adventures, which won this year’s RTS Award for best children’s drama, said all those involved in the series had been left “reeling” at news of her death.

He said: “I absolutely loved Lis. She was funny and cheeky and clever and just simply wonderful.

“The universe was lucky to have Sarah Jane Smith; the world was lucky to have Lis.”

Writer and executive producer Steven Moffat said she was a “ferociously talented actress”.

Source: Press Association, Daily Mail

45 Responses

  3. I was watching long before she joined the old show, but she set the standard. The Doctor’s best companion. Will be sadly missed. “Till we meet again, Sarah”

  5. There is (and was) only one Sarah Jane. Just as Tom Baker was “my doctor” when I was growing up, Sarah Jane as “my companion”.

    This spans generations. The kids of the 70’s to the kids of today.

  6. This is sad news indeed. Though I’m assuming the BBC Drama guys in Cardiff knew she was ill.

    I chatted to SJAs Producer a few weeks back and he said they’d shot 2 series back to back last year. He didn’t say why, but it appears now it may have been for her to have treatment this year. So there may indeed be a fifth season of SJA already in the can.

    Sorry to see her go at 63. She seemed so ageless.

  7. So sad, and like others here mentioned I really didn’t have any idea of this. I only hope that she didn’t suffer to terribly. May you rest in peace
    And to echo RTD: “The universe was lucky to have Sarah Jane Smith; the world was lucky to have Lis.”

  8. I was more accustomed with elizabeth sladen from her appearances as sarah jane smith when she was a companion to the 3rd and 4th dr’s(grew up with pertree and baker as my 2 fave doctors), so very sad to hear of her passing.

  9. Sad news, it was one of the first things that came up on Facebook this morning. A fitting tribute will be a memorial credit at the end of the first episode of the new season of Doctor Who this weekend (in the UK).

  10. I’m so shocked. Like most people I had no idea about her illness. I’ve loved Sarah Jane Smith most of my life. I will miss her having new adventures. My sincere condolences to Elizabeth Sladen’s family and everyone that knew her. My heart goes out to you.

  11. I’m devastated by this news. Like many others I’ve been waiting on news of the next season of Sarah Jane Adventures. This is such sad news. RIP Lis you’ll be missed the world over.

  13. So very sad. Especially as I had no idea she was even unwell. I thought they were gearing up to start filming the next series of Sarah Jane Adventures.

    Hopefully her family and friends are coping well.

  14. I don’t know what to say … I am shocked … and so deeply sad to hear this news. i loved Sarah Jane, she was my favourite DW companion since the 70’s. I was So thrilled when she got her own series!
    I just can’t believe we have lost her!
    My heart is broken.

  17. As to whether the fifth season will still go-ahead, there is a precedence for a show continuing on without the presence of the title character.

    The one example that I can think of is Blake’s 7 which ran its last two seasons without the presence of Blake.

    Whether SJA goes down the Blake’s 7 route remains to be seen.

  21. I am absolutely speechless, I cannot believe this. Sarah Jane was possibly my favourite companion ever, and I really enjoyed seeing Lis reprise the role in the current series and, of course, in her own show. I am just stunned right now. RIP Elisabeth Sladen, you will be greatly missed.

Leave a Reply