Watling was born 2 January 1948[4] at the Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in London, the daughter of actors Jack Watling and Patricia Hicks. Her brother Giles and her half-sister, Dilys, were also actors.[5] She was raised in Epping until the family moved to the 16th-century Alderton Hall in Loughton, Essex.[6] Educated at Braeside School in Buckhurst Hill, Watling considered becoming a dentist before enrolling at the Italia Conti Stage School.[5] Watling made her film debut aged three and started playing background roles in her father's films. During one of her half-sister's parties, Watling started talking to a boy who turned out to be Michael Craze from whom she would take over as a companion in Doctor Who many years later.[5]
Deborah Watling and Frazer Hines at a Doctor Who 50th Anniversary event in 2013
According to the short BBC Video documentary The Dalek Factor about the making of the story, released in September 2021 as part of the animated restoration of the serial, Denise Buckley was cast in the role of Victoria Waterfield by director Derek Martinus. The production team had been hoping that Pauline Collins would continue in the role of Samantha Briggs, that she had played in the previous story The Faceless Ones, but had created Victoria as a potential ongoing character should Collins decline. When Collins confirmed she did not want to join the regular cast, it was decided to introduce Victoria as the new companion and Denise Buckley was released, but paid in full, with Watling replacing her as a more suitable actress for the continuing role.[12] Watling played Victoria in Doctor Who from 1967 to 1968,[13] though owing to the BBC's wiping policy of the time, The Tomb of the Cybermen (1967) and The Enemy of the World (1967–1968) are the only serials in which she appeared that still exist in their entirety. She also appeared in Dimensions in Time (1993)[14] and Downtime (1995).[15]
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(ish) Doctors Reboot.[16]
Personal life
In her later years, Watling lived with her husband in Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex where she was a well known figure in the village and regularly used her acting experience by directing the local pantomimes.[17]
Her autobiography, entitled Daddy’s Girl, was published in 2010.[17]
Death
Watling died on 21 July 2017, aged 69, at Beaumont Manor nursing home in Frinton-on-Sea, six weeks after being diagnosed with lung cancer.[18][19]
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