Barbara Shelley, best known for her roles in Hammer horror films and Doctor Who, passed away at the age of 88 after contracting coronavirus (COVID-19).

Shelley starred alongside Christopher Lee in Dracula: Prince of Darkness, where she played the Count's first victim. She also appeared on Doctor Who as Sorasta in the Planet of Fire serial, which took place during Peter Davison's time as the Fifth Doctor. Shelley's other roles include guest-starring on the science fiction series Blake’s 7 and The Avengers.

"She really was Hammer’s number one leading lady and the technicolor queen of Hammer. On screen, she could be quietly evil. She goes from statuesque beauty to just animalistic wildness," Shelley’s agent, Thomas Bowington, told Press Association in a statement. Bowington also said that Shelley may have contracted COVID-19 during a routine check-up, as she spent two weeks in a hospital in the run-up to Christmas. "It’s most likely Covid is going to come up on the death certificate," Bowington said.

Shelley's Doctor Who co-star Nicola Bryant called her a "darling person and a talented actress" on Twitter. "When we worked together on Planet of Fire she was so kind to me. She gave me a little owl, still in my possession and some good advice," Bryant wrote.

Source: via Deadline