Lis, who is best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith alongside seven incarnations of the Doctor on screen. Lis made her first appearance as Sarah Jane in the 1973/74 story The Time Warrior alongside Jon Pertwee's Doctor, she stayed in the role until 1976, then alongside Tom Baker's fourth incarnation. Elisabeth returned to Doctor Who in the shows twentieth anniversary story The Five Doctors, then she made another appearance in 2006's School Reunion with David Tennant's Doctor, Billie Piper's Rose Tyler and John Leeson's K9 Mk III. After her amazing performance in School Reunion, Lis was asked to return again, this time in her own show, the Sarah Jane Adventures, this went onto be a hit and four series later, the Doctor has made two appearances in SJA (David Tennant and Matt Smith). Sarah Jane Adventures is CBBC's top show and has earnt the channel its highest ratings. Lis had her own spin-off pilot in 1981 called K9 and Company, which sadly proved unsuccessful. In 2009, Elisabeth was voted Best Companion in a Doctor Who Magazine Poll.
Lis died of cancer earlier today, she leaves her husband, Brian Miler, and daughter Sadie. Frontier in Space wishes to extend it's sympathies to Lis' close friends and family.
The BBC have issued a statement.
BBC Statement:
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.
Lis first appeared as Sarah Jane in Doctor Who in 1973 alongside the Third Doctor Jon Pertwee and stayed for three and half seasons working alongside Jon and the Fourth Doctor Tom Baker. She returned to the role on numerous occasions over the years and, in 2007, was given her own spin-off series on CBBC - The Sarah Jane Adventures - where she would appear alongside new Doctors David Tennant and Matt Smith.
The Sarah Jane Adventures brought Lis a whole new generation of fans who grew up to love her alien-busting adventures. The series was hugely popular with fans young and old and won this year’s RTS Award for best children’s drama.
Controller of CBBC Damian Kavanagh said tonight: “I’m deeply saddened and shocked by the news of Lis’ 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.”
The creator of The Sarah Jane Adventures Russell T Davies 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.”
Steven Moffat, Doctor Who’s Lead Writer and Executive Producer 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. 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.
“There are a blessed few who can carry a whole television show on their talent and charisma - but I can't think of one other who's done it quite so politely. I once showed my son Joshua an old episode of Doctor Who, in which Lis appeared. "But that's Sarah Jane," he said, confused "In old Doctor Who. From years ago. How come she always look exactly the same?" It's not a comfort today, of course, but children will still be saying that fifty years from now.”
Keith Jones, Director, BBC Cymru Wales, said: "The Sarah Jane Adventures has been one of the most successful children's programmes on television in recent years - and without Elisabeth Sladen it would not have happened. A brilliant presence on screen and on set, she brought the excitement and energy of the Doctor Who family of programmes, of which we are very proud at BBC Wales, to a whole new generation. She will be missed by all at BBC Wales who worked with her."
Roger Carey, who represented Lis for many years, said. “She was not just a client, but a dear friend. She was so positive about life and her natural energy was intoxicating. She couldn’t believe her luck when her career was resurrected in her own series.”
Lis had been suffering from cancer. She leaves behind a husband, actor Brian Miller, and her daughter, Sadie.
Although unconfirmed, it is likely that Series 5 of Sarah Jane Adventures will be shown in dedication of Lis.
Elisabeth Sladen 1948 - 2011
“The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it’s a world, or a relationship… Everything has its time. And everything ends.”
— Sarah Jane Smith - Doctor Who: School Reunion
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