TRAGEDY: Doctor Who Star Deborah Watling Dies At Age 69
John F. Trent
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Former Doctor Who companion and star Deborah Watling passed away at the age of 69 from lung cancer. She was only just diagnosed with disease six weeks ago.
Deborah Watling played Victoria Waterford on Doctor Who in the 1960s. She was 19 when she first took on the role. She starred in 41 episodes from 1967 to 1968 alongside Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor. Her character, Victoria Waterford, was orphaned by the Daleks before she became the adopted daughter of sort for the Doctor.
Only two of her episodes as Waterford are completely intact and only 21 of the 41 episodes remain in existence today. Her first appearance was “in the second part of 1967 serial The Evil of the Daleks, the only episode of that adventure that still exists.”
Watling reprised her role as Victoria Waterford in the 1993 short Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time where “the Rani hatch a scheme to trap the incarnations of the Doctor and his various companions in a 20-year time loop in Albert Square.”
She also continued the role for Doctor Who radio adventures featuring the Sixth Doctor.
Deborah Watling was born on January 2, 1948 to parents and well-known actors Jack Watling and Patricia Hicks. She had a sister Dilys and a brother Giles. Everyone in the family were actors.
She landed her first regular television role as the niece of Peter Brady in The Invisible Man in 1958. Afer her role as Victoria Waterford she also appeared in “The Newcomers”, “Rising Damp,” and the World War II show “Danger UXB.”
Giles mourned his sister’s death saying she would be “sorely missed.”
“She was a lovely, lovely girl, bubbly and virant,” he said.
Deborah Watling was a well-loved member of the Doctor Who cast and she went on to attend a number of fan conventions. Many fans mourned her passing.
RIP Deborah Watling. She'll always sleep in our minds.
— Rushy (@FranklyRushy) July 21, 2017
Oh Debbie Watling! One of my first ever "Crushes" Beautiful Girl who's sadly passed away! RIP XX
— Alan Harrison (@AlanHarrison60) July 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/thedoctorsboot/status/888440353937862656
https://twitter.com/hostproductions/status/888440295859400705
So sorry to hear about the death of Deborah Watling. Another part of my childhood gone. https://t.co/biIlIJQnLv
— Mary McLean Farmer (@mmcfarmer) July 21, 2017
RIP Deborah Watling, Doctor Who's Victorian Heroine https://t.co/KXeq6wxRYq pic.twitter.com/Vb1dyD9rnJ
— Roy Kenagy (@RoyKenagy) July 21, 2017
Sad to learn of Deborah Watling's death. Victoria was one of my favourite parts of Tomb of The Cybermen. She was really feisty. #DoctorWho
— Matt (@weyland76) July 21, 2017
#RIP Deborah Watling: Who Played Doctor Who companion Victoria, to the 2nd Doctor……..Patrick Troughton in the 1960's. pic.twitter.com/vW8O3bxM5f
— Christopher Sut (@chrisms9) July 21, 2017
Watling was living in England with her husband at the time of her death.
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