A Tribute to Deborah Watling (1948-2017)

The official website of Deborah Watling yesterday reported that the actress had
died after a short battle with lung cancer, aged 69. She was best known for her
portrayal of Victoria Waterfield, a companion to the Second Doctor, from May
1967 to April 1968, described by The Telegraph as a "Sixties screamer."

Deborah Patricia Watling was born in London in 1948, to actors Jack Watling
and Patricia Hicks. Her siblings Dilys, Giles and Nicky also became actors.

Her breakthrough role was Sally Wilson in ITC's The Invisible Man (1958), but
it was the lead part in Dennis Potter's Alice in 1965 that brought her to the
attention of the Doctor Who office. Watling debuted as Victoria (named after
script editor Gerry Davies' daughter) in the second episode of The Evil of the Daleks. The Tomb of the Cybermen and The Enemy of the World are the only two serials in which Watling appeared that still exist in their entirety. She even worked opposite her father in The Web of Fear. She departed the programme
in Fury From the Deep, but returned for Dimension in Time (1993), Downtime (1995) and The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot (2013).

After Doctor Who, Watling starred in BBC soap The Newcomers, the Cliff
Richard film Take Me High (1973) and ITV wartime drama, Danger UXB.

NEW DOCTOR ANNOUNCED.. AND IT'S A WOMAN

Months of intense speculation followed Peter Capaldi's decision 
to vacate the TARDIS in January - would we finally see a female 

Doctor?
35-year old Jodie Whittaker was dramatically unveiled as the 
Thirteenth Doctor on BBC One this afternoon.

The Huddersfield-born Broadchurch actress was revealed as the 
first woman to portray the Doctor at the conclusion the Men's 
Singles Final at Wimbledon.

Whittaker will debut on Christmas Day when Peter Capaldi leaves the 
programme. She told BBC News: "I'm beyond excited to begin this epic 
journey with Chris [Chibnall] and every Whovian on this planet. It's an 
honour to play the Doctor. It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, 
as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you're told you can and 
can't do." Whittaker also said that she will "embrace everything the Doctor 
stands for - hope. I can't wait."

The Radio Times has reported that the current Time Lord has given his 
blessing to Whittaker. Capaldi was "showing his support for the first female 
version of the" Doctor. "Anyone who has seen Jodie's work will know that 
she is a wonderful actress of great individuality and charm."

Whittaker, born in West Yorkshire in 1982, is best known for the role of Beth Latimer in ITV's Broadchurch (opposite David Tennant, Arthur Darvill,
and David Bradley), conceived and written by new Doctor Who show-
runner Chris Chibnall. He said that it was always his intention to cast a 
woman as the Doctor, and Whittaker was his first choice.