#RIP Doctor Who actress Elisabeth Sladen has died

Doctor Who actress Sladen dies

(UKPA) –

Doctor Who actress Elisabeth Sladen has died, sources said.

Liverpool-born Sladen joined the BBC television series in 1973 as Doctor Who's assistant Sarah Jane Smith.

She went on to star in spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, four series of which have been broadcast on children's channel CBBC.

Sladen had been suffering from cancer, BBC entertainment reporter Lizo Mzimba said. It had not been widely known that the actress was in ill health.

He said: "She was one of the most popular Doctor Who companions of all time, and one of the people who managed to do both old Doctor Who and Doctor Who when it came back."

Sladen first starred as Sarah Jane opposite Jon Pertwee. The pair worked together for three seasons, before Pertwee left the show in 1974.

She then became the assistant for Tom Baker. When the show relaunched, she appeared alongside modern-day Doctor Who David Tennant.

In a 2006 interview with the BBC ahead of rejoining Doctor Who, she spoke of her love for the programme, saying: "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."

In a statement, the BBC said: "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, passed away this morning. She was 63."

Doctor Who actress Elisabeth Sladen has died

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