Farewell, Sarah-Jane Smith...

Everyone has 'their' favourite Doctor Who, but it's also true that they have 'their' companion too. For a generation that was and will forever be Sarah-Jane Smith and the actress who played her, Elisabeth Sladen.  It is sad and completely unexpected to have to announce her death, aged only 63, from cancer.

Though she was an accomplished actor who took many roles, it was as the fiesty journalist Sarah-Jane Smith that she will be best remembered. The character first appeared alongside Jon Pertwee's incarnation, then with Tom Baker. She appeared in 'The Five Doctors' special and a one-off 'K9 & Company' edition before being formally reunited with The Doctor (in the form of David Tennant) for the Toby Whithouse-scripted School Reunion episode.  Such was the success of that episode, it lead to the spin-off 'Sarah Jane Adventures' series, in which Tennant and latest Who Matt Smith appeared. Most of the next  SJA run has alreadu been filmed.

When Impact editor John Mosby interviewed her the day after School Reunion aired, she said she was surpised at the huge reaction to her appearance and  performance.  She shouldn't have been. It was an amazing performance and one that recaptured the magic once again. She was an action-heroine before the term was coined and ultimately  aclass-act, on set and off - and will be much missed.