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Deborah Watling, Doctor Who Companion, Dead at 69

Deborah Watling, best known to TV audiences for her work on the original incarnation of Doctor Who, has died following a short battle with lung cancer. She was 69.

Watling’s big break came in 1967, when she was cast as Victoria Waterfield, companion to Patrick Troughton’s Doctor, on the landmark science-fiction program. She would vacate the role after 40 episodes, but would return for 1993’s Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time.

In addition to her work on Doctor Who, Watling appeared in countless TV programs. Her first significant role came in 1958, when she landed the part of Sally Watson in H.G. Wells’ Invisible Man. In 1960, she went on to play the part of Carol Fellows in the BBC One series A Life of Bliss. Additional early credits included William Tell and The Wednesday Play. She would later appear in The Newcomers, Danger UXB and The Jim Davidson Show.

Watling’s death was first reported by the BBC.

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