Sarah Jill Ward, later known as Lalla Ward, was born to Edward Ward, the 7th Viscount Bangor, and his fourth wife, the writer Marjorie Banks.
Ward's passion for acting, painting, and drawing led her to join the Central School of Speech and Drama in 1967. After graduating in 1970, she swiftly secured a role in the Hammer film "Vampire Circus" (1972).
She went on to work extensively in film, television, and stage productions, including "England Made Me" (1973),"Rosebud" (1975),"Crossed Swords" (1977),and several episodes of "The Duchess of Duke Street" (1976). Her notable film credits also include "Got It Made" (1974),which was later reissued as "Sweet Virgin" with added sex scenes, leading to a libel action against Club International magazine.
Ward's guest appearance in the story "The Armageddon Factor: Part One" (1979) led to her being cast as Romana in the Doctor Who series, a role she took over after the original actress, Mary Tamm, left the show. Ward remained with the series until 1980, when she married her Doctor Who co-star Tom Baker. The marriage lasted 16 months.
Ward continued to act in various productions, including "Schoolgirl Chums" (1982) and "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" (1980) for the BBC, as well as stage productions such as "The Jeweller's Shop" and "The Rehearsal". She also pursued her love of painting and wrote and illustrated several books.
In 1992, Ward married renowned biologist Dr. Richard Dawkins, author of "The Selfish Gene" and "The Blind Watchmaker", and subsequently retired from acting to focus on her family and writing.
