A sad news for the thespian world as Elisabeth Sladen, the popular small screen actress who entered the limelight of television series in Dr Who has passed away after battling with cancer. She was 63. This brilliant actress enjoyed immense popularity in the BBC series Dr Who and its spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. She is survived by her husband, actor Brian Miller and daughter Sadie.
The whole BBC was engulfed in sadness on receiving the news of Saden???s death. According to The Telegraph, BBC expressed their grief while breaking the sad news of the loss of this popular actress,
It is with much sadness that we can announce Elisabeth Sladen, the much-loved actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who and CBBC’s The Sarah Jane Adventures, has passed away.
Tributes poured in from the directors, producers and co-actors, well acquainted with Sladen and her role in Dr Who. She also enjoyed immense popularity as a person among her colleagues and other BBC staff, apart from her brilliant performance in the television series.
It was the producer Barry Letts who introduced Sladen in Dr Who as the Third Doctor???s assistant, and she always considered Letts as her close friend. The character portrayed by Sladen was so popular that she almost became an idol to her fans.
She carried on with the series successfully for three and half seasons receiving accolades and criticism in equal proportions. Her appearance as Sarah Jane Smith in the science fiction series The Hand of Fear in 1976 hit the headlines of the dailies. She made several come backs of the character Sarah Jane Smith in the spin-offs K-9 and Company, Five Doctors and also in some audio plays.
The mentor of special Dr Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, Russell T Davies expressed his love and respects at the demise of Sladen. The show telecast in 2007 renewed her popularity. Her death marked the loss of an able performer and a pleasing personality who succeeded in immortalizing the popular fictional character.
