It is with deep sadness we report the death of Deborah Watling, forever known as the Second Doctor's companion Victoria.
Deborah Watling joined Doctor Who in 1967, just over 50 years ago. She remained with the series for just under a year, playing the Victorian orphan taken into the care of the Doctor.
Alongside Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines, Watling would occupy the Tardis throughout what is now viewed as the classic monster era of the show, featuring Cybermen, Daleks, Ice Warriors and, of course, The Yeti.
Deborah Watling was born on 2nd January 1948. She was born into a theatrical family, her father the actor Jack Watling and her mother the actress Patricia Hicks. It was inevitable that she and her siblings would end up on the stage and by the age of ten, she was appearing in the ITV series The Invisible Man, playing the niece of Peter Brady.
In 1965 she played Alice Liddell in the BBC Wednesday play written by Dennis Potter and based on the life of Lewis Carroll. It was this appearance which led her to be cast as Victoria Waterfield in the final story of Season four, The Evil of the Daleks.
It wasn't initially to be a companion role. The producers were hoping to persuade Pauline Collins, who had appeared in the previous story, to stay on. When Collins declined, the role of ongoing companion was offered to Watling and Victoria joined the TARDIS crew.
It is well known that the team of Troughton, Watling, and Hines got on extremely well with Watling often the butt of the boys jokes. Many of her stories have been wiped since transmission, and the return of two to the archive a few years ago, The Enemy of the World and most of The Web of Fear brought her considerable delight.
She left Doctor Who in April 1968, at the end of Fury from the Deep. Small roles in the films That'll Be the Day and Take Me High followed. On TV she appeared in Rising Damp and The Newcomers and in 1979 she played Norma Baker in the ITV series Danger UXB.
She briefly returned to the character of Victoria in 1993, for the Children In Need skit, Dimensions in Time before recreating Victoria in a number of audio plays for Big Finish.
Deborah Watling was diagnosed with lung cancer six weeks ago and died earlier today.
I had the distinct pleasure of spending a pub evening with Debbie some years ago. Late eighties I think. She was in a comedy play at the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield with Jack Douglas. As was the case with various Who stars for some years, a few friends and I stage doored her after the show. One of the guys said he'd seen her at a recent convention, and he told her he and some friends were coming to see her in the play. He asked her if she'd have a drink with us after. Of course we all said "yeah, right".
But he reminded her when she appeared and she said YES! A little pub across the road. She popped across with us and got rounds of drinks with us and everything. Jack Douglas had a couple of Carry On fans come up for book signings, but she stayed with us all evening. What a night!
A lovely memory of a very sweet lady. And she's great in Who. That scene from Tomb of the Cybermen is a great example.
I remember the Troughton years quite well. I was six years old when Debbie Watling started and seven when she finished, and I clearly remember her in her first story Evil of the Daleks. Very memorably story, but then her period is THE classic Troughton era. Batman had taken me away from Doctor Who, and at first I was told by my parents I wouldn't like Doctor Who anymore because it wasn't the same, meaning the change of actor. But when Yorkshire Television took over from Granada/ATV in our area, they didn't continue the US series, so I was allowed to drift back.
Just in time! I loved all the classics she was in. What a shame some of it still remains lost. The richest part the second Doctor's time. Every one is a classic for one reason or another. And I remember liking that Tardis team, plus Zoe when she turned up. I'd say though that I watched for the monsters. And she faced the Daleks, Ice Warriors and the Yeti! I was a kid crazy about anything with monsters in. It would be the next Doctor along who would cement the character as my hero, and taking at least equal place as the reason I'd watch.
While I am of the age where Tom Baker is "my" Doctor, having seen a number of Troughton episodes puts him at #2 on my favorites list. Monochrome Doctor Who is uniformly excellent, even The Dominators. I'm a big Zoe fan.
While I am of the age where Tom Baker is "my" Doctor, having seen a number of Troughton episodes puts him at #2 on my favorites list. Monochrome Doctor Who is uniformly excellent, even The Dominators. I'm a big Zoe fan.
I'm sure certain scenes in The Mind Robber spring to mind.
While I am of the age where Tom Baker is "my" Doctor, having seen a number of Troughton episodes puts him at #2 on my favorites list. Monochrome Doctor Who is uniformly excellent, even The Dominators. I'm a big Zoe fan.
I'm sure certain scenes in The Mind Robber spring to mind.
Indeed they do. Just saw a color photo apparently taken on set; Wendy P. is wearing that pewter-colored uni. Too bad that dolt Jamie is all wrapped around her.
Yes, Troughton-era Doctor is great fun. Just watched his episode of The Persuaders! for about the seventieth time---a total transformation for Troughton.
Will watch Deborah's episodes this weekend--the episodes I have and are still extant, anyway.
Interestingly enough, Deborah was born on the very same date as my father (January 2, 1948)--and she outlived him by eight years and one day, exactly, as he died July 20, 2009.
Ha, ha.. I remember watching THAT scene on the Tardis console at a fan meeting when videos were just starting to come along and the there was a real royal cheer as she spun slowly into view.
Much as I said The Doctor was my hero from with Pertwee, I do remember clearly enjoying the Troughton teams and the Doctor - Jamie - Zoe team is an absolute classic. The Dominators is fine. As a kid the Quarks were great fun. Ok those later stories are a little ploddy compared to that classic mid-ear Troughton monster period, but they're still great. In fact the first four Doctors are easily THE Doctors. The classic run. Never to be bettered.
Let's hope more of the classic black and white stories turn up. Seeing The Web of Fear after all these years was an unbeatable joy. And we need something to cheer us old timers up come Christmas Day this year..
And of course the music for Doctor Who started with Ron Grainer and the Radiophonic Workshop. The guys are on tour and I'll be seeing them in Sheffield in October. Details on the 'other side'..
I'm a big Zoe fan. 
Just saw a color photo apparently taken on set; Wendy P. is wearing that pewter-colored uni. Too bad that dolt 
Jamie is all wrapped around her.