Her debut story The Time Warrior began airing in December 1973. <\/p>
Today (15th December, 2023) marks another major anniversary for Doctor Who<\/a> \u2013 it\u2019s been 50 years since Elisabeth Sladen made her debut as the iconic Sarah Jane Smith.<\/p>\n Sarah Jane, an investigative journalist, first appeared opposite Jon Pertwee\u2019s Third Doctor in The Time Warrior<\/a>, which began airing in December 1973.<\/p>\n That story also saw the debut of a memorable Doctor Who monster, the Sontarans.<\/p>\n Sladen remained on Doctor Who for three years, later establishing a memorable on-screen partnership with Tom Baker\u2019s Fourth Doctor.<\/p>\n She reprised her role in guest appearances in subsequent decades, before finally receiving her own spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures<\/a>, which ran for five seasons between 2007 and 2011.<\/p>\n Doctor Who fans took to social media to celebrate Sladen and share memories of their beloved Sarah Jane.<\/p>\n Today marks 50 years since Elisabeth Sladen made her debut appearance as Sarah Jane Smith.