Deborah Watling

Watling was born at the Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in London the daughter of actors Jack Watling and Patricia Hicks (1919–2011). Her brother Giles and her half-sister, Dilys, are also actors.[4] Watling was raised in Epping until the family moved to the 16th-century Alderton Hall in Loughton, Essex. Educated at Braeside School in Buckhurst Hill, Watling considered becoming a dentist before enrolling at the Italia Conti Stage School.[5] Watling made her film debut aged three and started playing background roles in her father's films. During one of her half-sister's parties, Watling started talking to a boy who turned out to be Michael Craze who she would take over from in Doctor Who many years later.[6]

Beginning as a child actress, Watling had a regular role as the niece of Peter Brady in The Invisible Man (1958) television series. She was later cast for the lead role in Alice (1965),[7] Dennis Potter's play about Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell, for the BBC's The Wednesday Play, a small role in That'll Be the Day (1973)[8] and as Norma Baker in the ITV series Danger UXB (1979).[9] She also co-starred with Cliff Richard in the 1973 film Take Me High. She also made many theatre appearances throughout her career.[10]

Deborah Watling and Frazer Hines at a Doctor Who 50th Anniversary event in 2013

Watling played Victoria in Doctor Who from 1967 to 1968,[11] though owing to the BBC's wiping policy of the time, The Tomb of the Cybermen (1967) and The Enemy of the World (1967–1968) are the only serials in which she appeared that still exist in their entirety. She also appeared in Dimensions in Time (1993)[12] and Downtime (1995).

Watling also appeared in the Doctor Who audio drama Three's a Crowd and regularly attended Doctor Who conventions and events. In November 2013, she appeared in the one-off 50th anniversary comedy homage The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.[13]

After acting work started to slow down, Watling opened a ladies' boutique named "The Pink Clock" although she gave it up after her career started to pick up again.[14]

For a time after leaving Doctor Who, Watling dated her co-star Frazer Hines.[15]

In her later years, Watling lived with her husband in Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex where she was a well known figure in the village and regularly used her acting experience by directing the local pantomimes.[16]

Her autobiography, entitled Daddy’s Girl, was published in 2010.[17]

Watling died on 21 July 2017 at Beaumont Manor nursing home in Frinton-on-Sea, six weeks after being diagnosed with lung cancer.[18][19]

• Deborah Watling at IMDb
• Deborah Watling's official website (archived)
• BBC Norfolk Online – RealAudio interview from the Holt Doctor Who Midsummer Invasion 2006
• The Spotlight: Deborah Watling
• Deborah Watling(Aveleyman)