Elisabeth Sladen, best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures, has died at the age of 63, according to reports from BBC News. I first read the devastating news over at io9, which was followed up with an e-mail from a fellow Doctor Whovian (Kara) over at The Adventure of Two Girls in Love. Fans of both the original and the re-booted series have lost a treasured companion this week—a fact that now casts such a dark light over the Series 6 premiere this weekend. Rather than mourn our loss as fans of the series, now is the time to remind ourselves about the remarkable life Elisabeth Sladen led.I stumbled across this interview Elisabeth Sladen (and her friend K-9) gave on the BBC kids' show, Blue Peter— at this point, Sladen had returned to the Doctor Who franchise for an episode titled "School Reunion" (2006), in which Sarah Jane finally confronts the Doctor for leaving her behind on Earth. I do believe this interview occurred before The Sarah Jane Adventures even existed, a series that secured her place as the most popular companion known to the Doctor Who universe. I thought the clip offered great insight into the warmth and sweetness Sladen possessed that became her trademark as the clever, motivated Sarah Jane. (In addition, you get a glimpse into an odd TARDIS-based kids' craft):
She will be deeply missed across the generations of Doctor Who fans. Rest in peace, Elisabeth Sladen.