Original “Doctor Who” cast member William Russell passes away at 99

WEB DESK: William Russell, one of the original cast members of the iconic British science fiction series “Doctor Who” passed away at the age of 99.

Russell was renowned for portraying Ian Chesterton, a schoolteacher and the Doctor’s first companion. The famous British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) show gained prominence since its debut.

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William Russel became famous as the Doctor’s companion in the mid-1950s when he starred in the sci-fi show as Ian Chesterton. He starred alongside the original Doctor Who played by William Hartnell from 1963 to 1965.

The British actor appeared in 77 episodes of the original Doctor Who series. Despite leaving the show by 1965, Russell remained connected to the series throughout his life.

He reprised his role as Ian Chesterton for various podcasts and made a cameo appearance in “The Power of The Doctor” in 2022.

William Russell earned a Guinness World Record for the longest gap between TV appearances.

Following his passing, tributes poured in from various colleagues and fans. The current showrunner of Doctor Who, Russell Davies, described the actor’s departure as a “sad loss”. Davies also praised him as a “fine, nimble, witty, heartfelt actor.”

Nicola Bryant starred alongside Russell in Doctor Who and remembered him as a “wonderful man” with a “charming smile and twinkling eyes.”

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Russell is survived by his wife and four children.