Actress Caroline John, best known to the world of Doctor Who fans as Liz Shaw, companion to the Third Doctor in several TV stories and audios, has died at the age of 71.
John got her start, as many actresses and actors in England have, on the stage, primarily appearing in various Shakespeare plays. By 1970, she’d moved to TV and landed her role on Doctor Who, appearing in five TV stories alongside Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor and the recently-deceased Nicholas Courtney as Brigadier Alister Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. She was written out after only those five stories to make room for Jo Grant, but did reappear on the series in the 20th anniversary story, “The Five Doctors”. She then returned to the role again in some of the Companion Chronicle audio adventures from Big Finish.
John was married to Geoffrey Beevers, best known to Who fans for his role as the “beef jerky in a cloak” version of the Master. She died on June 5, but her death was only revealed today. She will be missed.
