William Russell, the actor who brought the beloved character of Ian Chesterton to life in the original series of Doctor Who, has sadly passed away on Monday at the age of 99.
The Guardian verified his death a day later, although the cause of death has yet to be revealed.
William is left behind to mourn by his wife Etheline and son Alfred Enoch, who played Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter movie.
The father of four starred in the first Doctor Who story, An Unearthly Child, with William Hartnell, who played the first Time Lord.
His demise has saddened his co-stars, the fellow actors paid touching tribute to the late actor.
Doctor Who's Russell T Davies shared a tribute on Instagram, he wrote, “William Russell (1924-2024). What a sad loss, William played the Doctor's very first companion, Ian Chesterton, back in 1963. A schoolteacher, trapped on the Tardis by a wily old Doctor, unable to get home, whisked off to the Stone Age, Skaro, the Crusades, planet of the Zarbi..!”
Actress Nicola Bryant, his Doctor Who co-star also paid a heartfelt tribute to William, said to Dailymail, “What sad news to say farewell to William Russell.”adding, “What a wonderful man with a delightful family an extraordinary life and career.”
It's worth noting that William appeared in almost every episode of the first two Doctor Who seasons.
