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Caroline John, who played the Third Doctor’s first companion, Liz Shaw, has died aged 72.

The news of her passing was confirmed on Twitter today by the official BBC Doctor Who feed: “It’s with great sadness that we confirm the death of Caroline John who played companion Liz Shaw in 1970. She passed away on the 5th June.” She appeared alongside Jon Pertwee in the seventh season of the the classic show, and reprised the role for The Five Doctors and Dimensions in Time, as well as a series of videos for BBV, and for Big Finish’s Companion Chronicles.

Born in 1940, she was married to Geoffrey Beevers, and trained at the Central School, She toured with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre during her career.

Read our reviews of her Companion Chronicles: The Blue Tooth ; Shadow of the Past ; and Binary .