Don’t you think my life is confusing enough? And listen, if John Simm could hear you, you would not live another hour. He came up to me after the press launch for The End of Time and he’d been saying, ‘I think now that David has left as the Doctor, I would have to leave as the Master.’ Then he pulled me aside and said, ‘I didn’t mean that! I’m fine, they don’t all regenerate at the same time. Look at me, I’m fit! I’m OK!’ So Benedict has to wait in line probably. But how confusing would it be? All four cheekbones at once!”
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.
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 50 years from now.
'A tear, Sarah Jane?' Farewell to the wonderful, irreplaceable Lis Sladen. The best.
What struck me about Lis was her grace. She welcomed me, educated me, and delighted me with her tales and adventures on Doctor Who. And she also seemed to have a quality of youth that not many people retain as they go through life. Her grace and kindness will stay with me because she had such qualities in abundance and shared them freely. I will miss her, as will the world of Doctor Who and all the Doctors that had the good pleasure to work with Lis Sladen and travel the universe with Sarah Jane.
I just can't believe that Lis is gone. She seemed invincible. The same woman who enchanted my childhood, enchanted my time on Doctor Who and enchanted generations who have watched her and fallen in love with her – just like I did. I feel very honoured to have shared a TARDIS with Sarah Jane Smith, and I feel very lucky to have shared some time with Lis Sladen. She was extraordinary.
Elisabeth Sladen Matriarch of Dr Who - I loved my time on the Tardis with her. I am proud to have worked with such an icon of the sci fi world. Your Dr Who family are very sad and will miss you and your beautiful smile. RTD (Russell T. Davies) called me this morning when I woke up. She lived in my flat in Cardiff when she was filming SJA. She was a delight. Can't tell you how sad I am. I wanted to let you know I got the news as a lot of you were concerned. I'm off to chill, I hope you understand. Will tweet this weekend in PS. jb.
Sarah Jane dead? No, impossible! Impossible. Only last week I agreed to do six new audio adventures with her for Big Finish Productions.
She can't be dead. But she is: she died yesterday morning. Cancer. I had no idea she was ill; she was so private, never wanted any fuss, and now, gone. A terrible blow to her friends and a shattering blow for all those fans of the programme whose lives were touched every Saturday evening by her lovely heroic character, Sarah-Jane Smith.
Happy memories with Lis. Here we were having fun during a filming break.
Picture © James Clevett
Lis Sladen was very important to me, you know. When I joined the little world of Doctor Who, Lis was already a star. She had an enormous success with Jon Pertwee. She was good pals with the Brigadier, our beloved Nicholas Courtney; she knew all the regular directors. She was adored by Barry Letts, the producer who cast her in the role. She always said she was Barry's girl. It was for that reason she decided to leave the show. But it was not necessary at all. The fans adored her, Philip Hinchcliffe, our new and glamorous producer, adored her, so did David Maloney, her favourite director.
Terry Walsh, the regular stunt man adored her. Once in deep, dark Wooky Hole caves Lis was almost swept away in a small boat, fifty feet from a terrifying black hole that looked like the entrance to hell. In a flash Terry Walsh dived in and caught the boat and all was well, thanks to the devotion of Terry. Lis was safe and and the show could go on.
Here we are on Bessie right at the beginning of my time on Doctor Who.
Picture courtesy of the BBC
So when I replaced Jon Pertwee, it must have been an anxious time for Lis; it was a very anxious time for me. Following in the big footsteps of Jon was daunting. Tom Baker? Never heard of him. And so we started on the first story under Barry Letts as director. We did the location stuff first and I just obeyed orders; running about, with the Brigadier and that silly car Bessie Trotwood, I think it was called: too small for me, but also in its own way a "character". Jon loved cars.
But back in the rehearsal room things were quieter and there was time to put in little details, time for Lis and me to get acquainted, time for me to try and make a little mark, so to speak. And Lis laughed at my silly antics; yes, she did, she laughed me to success. We both came from Liverpool, that small detail helped. We both loved old movies. And quite suddenly Lis and Ian Marter and Tom Baker were a trio. It is so consoling when one is sad and bereft to remember the good times, the laughter, the glamour; yes, the glamour: we three switched on the lights at Blackpool! A very great honour. We performed a little melodrama directed by (guess who?) yes, David Maloney! And now Lis was adored by Ian Marter and Tom Baker too.
Switching on the Blackpool illuminations. Picture © Blackpool Council
And it never ceased. And in the evenings Lis, would simply disappear back to wherever we were staying and the rest of us would often be raucous! And too soon she decided to leave; no fuss at all, all was calm. And Philip Hinchcliffe gave her lovely farewell party at the Hilton. Those sweet memories of happy days with Lis Sladen, the lovely, witty, kind and so talented Lis Sladen. I am consoled by the memories. I was there, I knew her, she was good to me and I shall always be grateful, and I shall miss her.
I was thrilled when Lis came on my This Is Your Life in 2000. Here we are with John Leeson. Picture copyright Fremantle Media and Ralf Edwards Productions
Oh, Clyde... with a team like this, yeah, I think I can go on... forever.
Su última frase en el último episodio emitido de Sarah Jane Adventures.
Me ha emocionado leer que Baker y ella acababan de apalabrar para grabar un trabajo, nuevas ideas, y ahora nada.
Se extiende un poco más sobre la mítica de Sarah Jane, sus encuentros y lo inspirador que era trabajar con ella:Over the past year or so, I'd been chatting to her about her potential involvement in our new Tom Baker series. From the word go, she had said to me, "You just tell me when, and I'll be there". More recently, she had expressed a desire to delay her involvement. Not knowing she was ill, I didn't understand this, but we agreed to discuss it later in the year. The last text message I got from her simply said, "Thank you xxxxxxxxxx"
We are all so shocked and so very sad at the news of the death of Lis Sladen. Only yesterday I was filming a DVD extra in which I was talking with such heartfelt passion about how she was so 'luminous' on screen and how brilliant she was as Sarah Jane Smith. And that is the truth. For so many of us, she was the ultimate Doctor Who companion. On paper, in the original Doctor Who TV series, there was, arguably, nothing startling or particularly compelling about the character; it was Lis who made her totally fascinating to watch. Lis created Sarah Jane.
I met Lis over ten years ago now, when we filmed a Myth Makers interview together, and she was a delight to be with as we discussed her life and work. It has been my privilege to have worked with her a number of times over the years, and it's always been such fun and has felt so special. Lis was always tirelessly thorough and totally engaged with her work, caring passionately about every detail of it. I found that dedication to be an inspiration.
I feel it is, perhaps, selfish and trivial of me to say that I will desperately miss working with her again. And as a fan, I don't think I ever got over the thrill of chatting to and working with 'Sarah Jane'. I shall miss her great sense of fun, her love of that character and, frankly, her sheer luminance. All of us at Big Finish would like to offer our sincerest condolences to Lis's husband Brian and daughter Sadie.