Elisabeth Sladen 1948-2011

I've been speaking to a few people tonight about this, and Lis's death is genuinely major national news. Some seem surprised, but I'm not. She meant so much to at least 2 very different generations - the older of whom are now the movers and shakers within the media industry.

Indeed. I know for certain, young Elliott will be heartbroken when I break the news to him. And he certainly won't be the only one amongst his circle of friends.

RTD's Tribute to Lis.

I still haven't quite wrapped my mind around this news.

I don't think any of us have really quite grasped the full impact of the news yet, old chap. I know I certainly haven't.

Patrick wrote:I still haven't quite wrapped my mind around this news.

I was only saying to a friend a few weeks ago that the Sarah Jane Adventures could run for as long as Lis Sladen wanted it to. All they had to do was replace the kids every few years. I never expected her to die, I don't think anyone did.

Patrick wrote:I still haven't quite wrapped my mind around this news.

I know the feeling.

Interesting post from the Guardian website.


I was very sad to hear about Elisabeth Sladen's death. Especially because she had cancer surgery the same day as me for, I assumed at the time, the same thing.

I found a lump in my breast in January 2010. I was diagnosed with grade 2 / stage 2 breast cancer in February and had a lumpectomy in March - I was in and out in an afternoon. There were three other women in the short-stay surgery ward. Lis Sladen was one of them. My husband and I agreed at the time not to tell anyone we'd seen her; it was no one's business.

Re: "fatal word CANCER" - although Lis Sladen died of cancer, most women in the UK survive breast cancer. 88% are still alive after 10 years*. As for me, I knowingly had cancer for five weeks. It hadn't spread. I had radiotherapy, chemotherapy and I am now on hormone therapy. It's extremely unlikely that I have cancer any more. I'm fine.

In the two weeks after screening while waiting for the results, I resolved not to tell anyone if I was diagnosed with cancer. I did not want to be defined by it. I did not want to see people feeling sorry for me or for all conversations with friends and family to start with cancer.

This is not uncommon - you might recall that Jennifer Saunders didn't go public about her diagnosis until after her treatment was over. You have to do whatever you're comfortable with. In the end, I told friends and family, and I blogged about my experience. It turned out that A LOT of people I knew had found pre-cancerous or stage 1 cancer but had kept it to themselves. I don't blame Lis Sladen for not going public on her illness but I do wish more people talked about it.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/24/viv-goskrop-elizabeth-sladen-death?INTCMP=SRCH

It's been confirmed that BBC 4 will be showing The Hand of Fear in tribute next month.

Lis Sladen autobiography to be published in November. I was aware that something was in the offing, but didn't realised it was this.