^ Yes, I see it now on BBC news 24 and it's coming up as breaking news on the website. Crap. RIP Sarah Jane.
seeing the ticker along the BBC News channel now. Well, that sucks. Probably worse for the kids who watch SJA (which will be buggered now, with season 5 not yet finished filming)
Doctor Who Magazine has confirmed it to the Doctor Who News Page. http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2011/04/dwn190411204508-elisabeth-sladen-1948.html They don't report this kind of rumor. Incredibly sad. I wonder if illness was the reason part of Season 5 was filmed at the end of Season 4 last year? The final episode of Season 4, and the last episode to air in her lifetime, was titled "Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith", too. I will be very surprised if they don't do a dedication on Doctor Who, though it's probably too late for them to add anything to this weekend's episode, but you never know. RIP Alex
Omigod...first the Brig, and now Sarah Jane? That just really hit me close to home as they were the first Doctor Who companions I really ever knew. Oh, man...
Yeah, I'm waiting for the DVD of Planet of the Spiders. It will be a different viewing experience now. Definetely a hit close to home. This is so sudden, I expected to see a new season of SJA soon and not hear of Lis Sladen's death.
Absolutely shocked and saddened by this news! Loved her since I was a kid. My 6 year old nephew just rang me up as he saw it on the news (he broke the news to me), and told me that she was going to heaven. He thought that the Doctor might be able to go and get her back though... he didn't understand and thought it was part of the series
There will be at least a partial 5th season, as several episodes were filmed at the end of the 4th last year. How the BBC handles it is anyone's guess. Alex
Very, very sad day. Surprised to hear - I'm sure we were hoping for many more years with her around to entertain. RIP Mark
Wow. Didn't see this coming at all. She seemed pretty young and vibrant still. Has anyone given a cause of death?
Man, I'm kind of shocked. I first came to know of 'Sarah Jane Smith' through watching School Reunion, but became a fan of the character rather quickly and have enjoyed the SJA series thus far. Sad news, especially since no one seemed to have known publically that she was ill. Rest in Peace, Elisabeth Sladen.
Yes, some reports mentioned she died of cancer. Sometimes, this disease can progress very quickly. But it's also possible she had been struggling with it for a while without the public knowing.
Certainly Frazer Hines battled cancer for years and never revealed this until a decade later. But there's also been cases of people feeling fine, then feeling a bit ill, getting diagnosed, and dying within a week. Unless her family explains what happened, it's all guesswork. I just remembered she'd written an autobiography that was scheduled for publication this summer. I'll have to get that. Alex
This is such sad and unexpected news to wake up to. I do wish her family and friens condolences and best wishes.