Wednesday 20 April 2011

Elisabeth Sladen RIP

Doctor Who actress dies

Wed Apr 20 09:40AM
by Paul Johnston

Elisabeth Sladen, best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in 'Doctor Who', has died at the age of 63.

The BBC confirmed that the actress died yesterday following a battle with cancer.

Elisabeth first appeared in the popular sci-fi series with third Doctor Jon Pertwee back in 1973. She went on to appear alongside Tom Baker's Doctor and years later reprised the role of Sarah Jane Smith when the series was revived by Russell T Davies.

In 2007 she was given her own spin-off show, 'The Sarah Jane Adventures', which ran for four series.

Speaking about the news, Russell T Davies said: "I absolutely loved Lis. She was funny and cheeky and clever and just simply wonderful."

Current 'Doctor Who' executive producer Steven Moffat praised her as a "ferociously talented actress". He added: "'Never meet your heroes', wise people say. They weren't thinking of Lis Sladen. Sarah Jane Smith was everybody's hero when I was younger, and as brave and funny and brilliant as people only ever are in stories.

"But many years later when I met the real Sarah Jane - Lis Sladen herself - she was exactly as any child ever have wanted her to be. Kind and gentle and clever and a ferociously talented actress, of course, but in that perfectly English unassuming way."

CBBC controller Damian Kavanagh said: "I'm deeply saddened and shocked by the news of Lis's untimely death. Lis brought joy, excitement and a sense of wonder to her many fans in her role as Sarah Jane Smith. She was adored by our young audience and I know all of them will miss her as much as I will."

http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/news-extra/article/139276/doctor-who-actress-dies.html

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