Sladen, Elisabeth - Elisabeth Sladen - The Autobiography

Lis died early in the morning, just before we arrived at Meadow House. A nurse brought us a cup of tea and sat with us. Later, she said, ‘My son will be devastated. He loved her.’

It was the first clue that we wouldn’t be the only ones grieving.

We had cards from so many friends and family, some real blasts from the past. We had many more from strangers, people whose lives had been touched by Lis at some point. There were heartfelt messages from fans of her original Doctor Who appearances and others from kids who only knew her from The Sarah Jane Adventures . Young or old, it doesn’t matter. She reached out to them all, as she reached out to us.

Some of the tributes were very nice. Tom, David and Russell all said such lovely things on television and in the papers. And wonderful Ed Russell, who worked with Lis as a BBC brand manager, embarked on a walk from Cardiff to Television Centre in White City in her memory. The money is still coming in, but as we write nearly £20,000 has been raised for Meadow House Hospice in Lis’s honour.

* * *

It was thinking about all these people, mostly strangers, who had been moved by Lis that brings us here, to this book. For weeks her desk had remained untouched. We knew the manuscript was there but neither of us wanted to pick it up. It was too personal and we weren’t ready. Not yet.

But then one day we did.

We read page one and we were hooked. Lis’s voice rang out from every line. It was just black text on white paper but it was indisputably her – her way with words, her little phrases, her love of life and of people poured out. Sam, her editor, was very kind and offered the opportunity to cancel the project but we both agreed we had to share this with her fans. After all, they – you – are the people it was written for. You are the reason it was written.

Words, of course, will never bring Lis back but we are luckier than most: we have her book, we have her face in magazines and we have her voice ringing out, seemingly on loop, from the repeats of The Sarah Jane Adventures . It’s of some comfort hearing those episodes in the background as we get through each day.

Everywhere we turn there are reminders that the world lost Elisabeth Sladen, but we lost Elisabeth Miller. This book, hopefully, is a fitting tribute to both.

Brian Miller & Sadie Miller

London, September 2011

Copyright

First published in 2011

by Aurum Press Ltd, 7 Greenland Street, London NW1 0ND

This ebook edition first published in 2011

All rights reserved

© Elisabeth Sladen, 2011

The right of Elisabeth Sladen to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

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ISBN 978–1–84513–685–7