Elisabeth Sladen: Dr Who actress dies aged 63

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 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.

Sladen had been suffering from cancer, the BBC confirmed. She leaves behind a husband, actor Brian Miller, and her daughter Sadie.

Russell T Davies, who created The Sarah Jane Adventures, 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." Doctor Who's lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat said: "'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.

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Rip gutted and the kids!

Its a shock isn't it? I guess at least she was doing something she really enjoyed. I don't remember her the first time round in Dr WHo, but thought she was brill in the new ones.

shame that. she didnt look ill at all

I remember her, and "Jo Grant", in the original series (okay so I remember the mini skirts ), when they met up in the Sarah Jane Adventures the years looked to have been much kinder to Ms Sladen and you would never have guessed she was ill.

In an interview with her some years ago she said that she pushed for the strong role, not so much of the screaming that all the other female companions had been so good at, and it worked, well I think so.

I'm glad she came back on the screen, better to go out with a "....that's good, I'll miss that.." than a "....wasn't she the one...."

I wiped away a tear when I saw the news this morning (AEST) after being shown the article by my dad on his ipod touch, A sad loss to the acting world indeed

Yes i too was sadded , i do remember her well in dr who as she was from my era.
And shocked as she has been doing the sarah jane adventures and i didnt know she was ill.

When actors die, it doesnt normally bother me, but have to say I shed a tear when I heard this news.

My daughter is going to be gutted that her "Doctor Who" is dead.

I remember her first time round in Dr Who, I didn't think she was as old as that, it was a shock to hear it on the news this morning RIP Liz.

Was she the one with the funny mouth?