Why Every Classic Companion Left Doctor Who
13. Elisabeth Sladen - Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith is the most beloved of all the classic Doctor Who companions, appearing with both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker between 1973 and 1976. The partnership between Sladen and Baker saw Doctor Who reach the peak of popularity for the classic era. So it was no surprise that Sladen's departure in 1976 made the newspapers!
Publicly, Lis Sladen stated that it was time to move on from the role, but in her posthumously published autobiography, the Sarah Jane actor stated that she felt new producer Philip Hinchcliffe might have been keen to create his own new companion. Although Hinchcliffe has since stated he would have loved Sladen to stay, the actress stepped aside for a new companion to take her place.