Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Sladen, the British actress who portrayed TV timelord Doctor Who's most long-serving assistant, has died at the age of 63.
Sladen played Sarah Jane Smith, the sidekick of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker's time travelling doctors, for a decade.
She first appeared on the cult sci-fi show in 1973 and returned in 2006 for a four-year stint on the programme.
Her character landed Sladen a spin-off series, The Sarah Jane Adventures.
The actress lost her battle with cancer on Tuesday (19Apr11).
A statement from Sarah Jane Adventures creator and Doctor Who writer Russell T. Davies reads, "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."