Sarah Ward – this is her real name – was born on June 28, 1951 in London, England, daughter of the seventh Viscount Bangor. The name Lalla by which she’s known comes from her attempts to say her name when she was just a toddler.

Lalla Ward studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1968 to 1971 then began her acting career in film and especially television, where she appeared in several productions of different types, from “The Duchess of Duke Street” to “The Professionals” to” Hamlet”.

Lalla Ward’s debut in “Doctor Who” took place in 1979 in the adventure “The Armageddon Factor”, the final chapter of the saga “The Key To Time” in which she played Princess Astra, one of the six parts of the Key of Time in the form of a girl.

That job in “Doctor Who” profoundly influenced her life because at the end of that season actress Mary Tamm abandoned the role of the Time Lady Romana and Lalla Ward was chosen to replace her. According to someone it was Mary Tamm herself who suggested Lalla Ward as the new interpreter of Romana, while others claim that the suggestion came from Tom Baker, either way the final decision was up to the producer.

Lalla Ward played Romana for about a season and a half. Working with Tom Baker, who then played the Doctor, the two started a love story that led them to a marriage, which however lasted less than two years.

Working in “Doctor Who” Lalla Ward became friends with writer Douglas Adams, a very important friendship that lasted until his death. It was Adams who introduced her to scientist Richard Dawkins, who became her husband in 1992.

In 1987 an asteroid was named 8347 Lallaward after her.

After getting married Lalla Ward decided to retire from acting though over the years she reprised the role of Romana in some special productions and several audio adventures. Occasionally she lends her voice to the audio versions of her husband’s scientific essays while for the normal printed versions she contributes with various drawings.

In the audio series “The Key 2 Time” Lalla Ward reprised both the role of Romana and Princess Astra. She also participates in the DVD comments and extras of the “Doctor Who” adventures she worked in and seeing how much she did not age one might think she’s really a Time Lady.

If she won’t act in movies or on TV anymore let’s hope that at least she’ll participate in many more audio adventures!