Deborah Watling


Deborah Patricia Watling was an English actress who portrayed the role of Victoria Waterfield, a companion of the Second Doctor in the BBC television series Doctor Who.

Early life

Watling was born at Loughton, Essex, the daughter of actors Jack Watling and Patricia Hicks. Her brother Giles and her half-sister, Dilys, are also actors.

Career

Beginning as a child actress, she had a regular role as the niece of Peter Brady in The Invisible Man television series. She was later cast for the lead role in Alice, 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 and as Norma Baker in the ITV series Danger UXB. She also co-starred with Cliff Richard in the 1973 film Take Me High.
Watling played Victoria in Doctor Who from 1967 to 1968, though owing to the BBC's wiping policy of the time, The Tomb of the Cybermen and The Enemy of the World are the only serials in which she appeared that still exist in their entirety. She also appeared in Dimensions in Time and Downtime.
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 Doctors Reboot.

Death

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

Credits

Filmography

Selected television filmography

YearTitleRole
1958–1959The Invisible ManSally Wilson
1965–1966The Wednesday PlayAlice Liddell/Gretchen Westermann
1967–1968Doctor WhoVictoria Waterfield
1969The NewcomersJulie Robertson
1978Rising DampLorna
1979Danger UXBNorma Baker
1993Victoria Waterfield
2013The Five Doctors RebootHerself

Audio dramas