14 Doctor Who Urban Legends That Are Actually True
3. The Regeneration Of Sarah Jane Smith
Elisabeth Sladen is regarded as the defining Doctor Who companion of all time thanks to her portrayal of Sarah Jane Smith but her journey to the TARDIS was as turbulent as her subsequent adventures aboard it. The coveted role of the investigate journalist was initially awarded to actress April Walker, of Fawlty Towers and The Two Ronnies fame, but the shows then producer Barry Letts had a sudden change of heart when it transpired that Third Doctor Jon Pertwee was wholly against the choice of his new companion. Walker was promptly replaced by Elisabeth Sladen (who was recommended by a BBC colleague and hadnt actually been involved in the casting process itself) and, after an arduous audition process, Walker was compensated for her time - and for the fact she had effectively been fired - by being paid in full for the whole season in which she had been contracted to appear. Its now difficult to imagine anyone but Elisabeth in the role but this intriguing development, which remained a closely guarded secret until recent years, just proves that things couldve so easily been very different.