Actress Elisabeth Sladen (b.1948) died on April 19. Sladen is best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith on Doctor Who from 1973 through 1976, a role she reprised several times, including on the new series of Doctor Who, which led to the creation of the Sarah Jane Adventures, on which she starred. In the 1980s, she also appeared in the television productions of Alice in Wonderland and Gulliver in Lilliput.
Actor Nicholas Courtney (b.1929) died February 22. Courtney is best known for his portrayal of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart on Doctor Who, appearing opposite every actor who portrayed the Doctor from William Hartnell through Paul McGann. Courtney was also the honorary president of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. He reprised his role as the Brigadier on The Sarah Jane Adventures. Other genre work includes Journey to the Far Side of the Sun and The Brides of Fu Manchu.
The BBC has officially announced that the two-part opener for the next season of Doctor Who will film in Utah. This marks the first time Doctor Who has ever filmed in the United States (the Eight Doctor movie set in San Francisco was filmed in Canada). Matt Smith, Karen Gillian, Arthur Darvill, and Alex Kingston are expected to film in Utah in November.