'A true star': Tributes pour in as James Bond actress Pamela Salem known for playing Miss Moneypenny in 'Never Say Never Again' dies at 80

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Big Finish Productions announced that British actress Pamela Salem, who was a part of 'Doctor Who' and the James Bond movie, 'Never Say Never Again', died on Wednesday, February 21 aged 80. Her cause of death remains undisclosed.

'Doctor Who' audio series 'Counter-Measures' director Ken Bentley said, in a statement, that Salem "was such great company, always smiling, with so much enthusiasm for the small things in life that bring us all joy, like walking your dog along the beach."

He continued, "She had many gifts but her superpower was her ability to single-handedly restore your faith in human nature," as per PEOPLE Magazine.

Pamela Salem is remembered for playing Miss Moneypenny in 'Never Say Never Again'

Salem, who was born in India in 1944, starred as James Bond's secretary, Miss Moneypenny, in Sean Connery's 1983 film 'Never Say Never Again'. The movie is regarded as an unauthorized addition to the Bond canon as Eon Productions wasn't behind its creation, according to Deadline.

In 1978, the actress starred alongside Connery in the crime drama film titled, 'The First Great Train Robbery'. Among her other roles was that of Professor Rachel Jensen in the 1980s BBC science fiction series 'Doctor Who'.

She also featured as mafia member Joanne Francis in 'Eastenders' and as fictional UK prime minister Maureen Graty in the drama series 'The West Wing'.

In addition to appearing in the radio spin-off series, 'Counter Measures', Pamela co-starred with Sylvester McCoy, the seventh actor to portray the doctor in the "Doctor Who" franchise.

Pamela made a comeback to the audio drama series 'The Robots,' a reworking of the 'Doctor Who' episode 'The Robots of Death,' in 2020. In the 1990s, she first relocated to Los Angeles, then Miami.

Tributes pour in for Pamela Salem

Following the announcement of the actress' death, friends, acquaintances, and fans paid their tributes on social media. 

The British production firm Big Finish, known for their science fiction plays and audiobooks, was the first to announce Pamela's death and spearhead the condolences.

"We are utterly heartbroken to confirm the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Pamela Salem," they wrote on X (formerly Twitter), providing a link to a more extensive tribute on their website.

'Doctor Who' screenwriter Gareth Roberts wrote, "Farewell, Pamela Salem. A fine actress. She always seemed such *fun*."

The Old Vic Theatre actor Andrew Stocker noted, "So sad to hear that dear lovely Pamela Salem has passed away. She starred in so many things. The last time I saw Pamela was in 2018 where we had a good talk and shared memories of Chris Harris who Pamela had worked with on HTV’s Production of Into The Labyrinth. RIP dear lady."

Actor and comedian Angus Dunican, who has penned multiple 'Doctor Who' specials for Big Finish, stated, "Sleep well Pamela Salem. I always loved how much you looked like you’d absolutely HAD IT with everyone today."

"Very sad to hear that Pamela Salem has passed away. A true star," wrote 'Doctor Who' Magazine contributor Jonathan Helm.

One of her fans chimed in, "The wonderful Pamela Salem who I remember so well from Robots of Death #DoctorWho #pamelasalem here not batting an eyelid when I asked here to sign my radar dish from Remembrance of the Daleks RIP."

Finn Pollard, an associate professor of US history and arts at the University of Lincoln, posted, "So sorry to see this. Pamela Salem’s Professor Jensen in Remembrance of the Daleks is a wonderful character & @bigfinish Counter Measures giving further life to those characters was a brilliant series"

A brief statement was also made by award-winning independent film production business Shogun Films, located in London and specializing in action, horror, and thriller movies.

They penned, "We were saddened to hear that British actress #PamelaSalem has died - a rogue Moneypenny in ‘Never Say Never Again’ and terrific turns opposite Leslie Grantham in Eastenders and Sylvester McCoy in Doctor Who. RIP."

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