Pamela Salem, Star of ‘Doctor Who’ & ‘EastEnders’ Dies at 80
British actress Pamela Salem has passed away at the age of 80. She died on February 21, 2024, and the cause of death has not yet been revealed. Salem was best known for her roles in Into the Labyrinth, EastEnders, and Doctor Who. She reprised her role of Rachel for the Doctor Who spin-off series Counter-Measures.
Producer David Richardson, who worked with Salem many times, shared, “Pamela Salem was lovely, and we all loved her. Whenever there was a Big Finish recording for her, she’d fly in from Miami on her own steam, without fuss or fanfare, and appear at the studio armed with the warmest smiles, the biggest hugs and often presents. She was a very gentle person – always interested in everyone, from her co-stars to the production team to the guest actors and visitors. Pamela had an extraordinary career and carried it lightly…. I feel very lucky to have had her in my life.”
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
Karen Gledhill, who worked with her in Counter-Measures, added, “Pamela was the kindest, most generous actor I have ever worked with. Back in the ’80s on Remembrance Of The Daleks (my first proper TV job), she took me under her wing and led me through a wonderful but slightly daunting experience. We became friends, and whenever we met were always so pleased to see each other.”
United Artists/Everett Collection
Salem was born in Bombay, India and later studied at Heidelberg University in Germany and the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England. Her acting career began in the 1970s with roles in television and movies such as Doctor Who, The Professionals, The Great Train Robbery, and All Creatures Great and Small. In the ’80s, her career soared as she appeared in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and played Miss Moneypenny in the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again, starring Sean Connery.
Some of her final roles were in Down’s Revenge and Big Love. Salem was married to actor Michael O’Hagan until his death in 2017.