High adventure for Sarah Jane

The Sarah Jane AdventuresBy Martin Barber

High adventure for Sarah Jane
Sarah Jane Smith, a former companion to Doctor Who, returns to our TV screens with a team of young helpers in a new adventure.Watch our webTV interview with the star of the show, Elisabeth Sladen.
Actress Elisabeth Sladen – Doctor Who's former sidekick – is back as investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith in a new, fast-paced children's drama.
The Sarah Jane Adventures (SJA) is the latest Doctor Who spin-off, created by the award-winning writer Russell T Davies.
Watch: Lis Sladen talks about the Sarah Jane AdventuresVideo links on this page require Realplayer
Bubbleshock
In the New Year's Day feature episode we find Sarah Jane so fascinated by Bubbleshock, a strangely addictive organic drink, that she's almost oblivious to the arrival of her new neighbour, Maria, a young girl starting a new life with her father.
Kelsey, Sarah Jane, Maria and Luke
Maria (Yasmin Page) becomes intrigued by the strange goings-on at Sarah Jane's house.
But before she can find out more, she's whisked away by her new friend Kelsey to the brightly coloured, but sinister, Bubbleshock factory.
When Sarah Jane and Maria discover the secret ingredient of Bubbleshock, they realise they are the only ones who can stop what the mysterious factor owner Mrs Wormwood (Samantha Bond) is doing and her evil plans for the human race!
Sarah's history
Sarah Jane Smith was a companion to the third and fourth Doctors, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker.
She was a regular in the series from 1973 to 1976 and made a recent return in the 2006 episode School Reunion opposite David Tennant, the tenth Doctor.
webTV interview
Just days after finishing filming for the SJA series, Elisabeth Sladen shared her excitement about the new show in an exclusive webTV interview with Martin Barber for BBC Norfolk Kids during the Cult TV Festival 2006 in Hemsby.
MB: Does SJA pick up where School Reunion left off?
Sarah Jane and Maria
ES: There is a gap of time which is a very relevant gap of one-and-a-half years where this could have happened and she could have got her act together.
She still has K-9, he's still daring and doing.
MB: K-9 is just in this hour special isn't he?
ES: To my knowledge, yes. He actually has a very important job to do that Sarah knows about.
She misses him desperately, and doesn't know when he might return, but he is safe.
MB: I know you're delighted with the look and feel of SJA. Why are you so pleased with it?
ES: I opened the script and I didn't know what to expect.
I would get to a scene and it is just the most lovely moment when you read something, when you're familiar with a character and a format you think you're going to have, and you find something you never thought of.
It happened about three times!
I think I've been so lucky in the director Colin Teague, he has filmed it like a film.
And there is an explosion!
They haven't had as bigger one on Doctor Who or Torchwood. We've have the biggest explosion, I'm really proud of that.
I don't know why? It's a very silly thing to be proud off. It's a great, massive explosion. [she laughs]
MB: What causes it?
ES: I can't say. [she laughs] Actually I don't know if I should have said that at all!
Is Sarah Jane looking up towards an alien invasion?
MB: What's it like to have Sarah Jane's character as part of your life for so many years?
ES: I feel very protective of her. I supposed I look at a script for Sarah Jane in a totally different way to how I'd look at any other script.
I'm on two levels with her. I'm reading it and wanting to do what it says there, but I'm also judging it.
MB: CBBC viewers have taken a real shine to Sarah Jane - it must be great having this army of new young fans.
ES: It's so lovely. I went down to film Totally Doctor Who last year and I was in the canteen and there was this rush of little heads towards me.
It was so lovely. I thought how brilliant is that. And then the dads would introduce themselves. [she laughs]
One of the dads said 'You wrote to me when I was eight, this is my son!' - how amazing. I don't know of any other programme which is like that.
The Sarah Jane Adventures: Invasion Of The Bane is broadcast on New Year's Day at 4.50pm on BBC One.
Watch: Lis Sladen talks about the Sarah Jane AdventuresVideo links on this page require Realplayer