The Doctor From Gallifrey 

It is with great sadness that we report that Caroline John, best known as Doctor Who's Liz Shaw, passed away earlier this month age 71. Liz Shaw was the first companion of the Third Doctor in the 7th series of Doctor Who. Her character helped viewers adjust to a new Doctor and one exiled to Earth and having no choice but to work for UNIT. 

She reprised the role in The Five Doctors and again, though unofficially, in Mark Gatiss' PROBE spin-offs. She appeared in many other roles across the years too, everything from Z-Cars to the film Love Actually. 

Steven Moffat said: ‘Caroline was a brilliant actress and in her role as Liz Shaw, a tremendous co-star for Jon Pertwee in his first year as the Doctor. She was not just a sidekick but a scientist in her own right and a match for the universe's number one know-all. The Doctor's companions should never be his assistants - they're the people who keep him on his toes, and that's what Caroline did. From everyone at the show, our thoughts go out to Caroline’s family.’

RIP Caroline John 1940-2012

[Source: BBC]