(Photo: Getty Images)

British actress Barbara Shelley, 88, has passed away after being infected with coronavirus during a hospital stay, reports Deadline. 

Her agent Thomas Bowington released a statement, saying, "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."

Bowington is referring to the British production company Hammer, which created a number of horror films starring Shelley, including 1966’s Dracula: Prince of Darkness, 1966's Rasputin: The Mad Monk and 1967's Quatermass and the Pit.

Of course, Whovians worldwide may know and love her for her run as Sorasta in 1984. She starred in four DW episodes, opposite Peter Davison as the Doctor. Sorasta is a native of the volcanic planet Sarn, but does not believe in the fire god Logar.

You can see Shelley deliver a strong speech as Sorasta in the below clip at 2:35:

Following Doctor Who, Shelley starred in the fan favorite soap opera EastEnders in 1988. Also in 1988, she took on the title role in the TV movie Maigret.

In 2010, Mark Gatiss, who has also starred in (and written for) DW, interviewed Shelley in his series A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss. He puts a spotlight on her role in Dracula, saying, "Barbara Shelley's performance was quite superb, proving female vampires needn't be only decorative."

We are saddened to hear of Barbara Shelley's passing. RIP.