LALLA WARD, who played Dr Who's assistant Princess Astra on TV, won "substantial" libel damages in the High Court today over alleged nude pictures of her in a girlie magazine.
The 31-year-old actress was said to have been "horrified" at the " tasteless and offensive" pictures.
Her counsel, Mr David Eady, QC, told Mr Justice Mars-Jones that in February 1981 Paul Raymond's Club International had a photograph of her on its cover with the words " Our latest celebrity nude sensation."
Inside was a feature with 16 photographs — some showing full frontal nudity, others purporting to portray her in a lesbian embrace.
Miss Ward. who married her Dr Who — actor Tom Baker—in December 1980 but separated from him 16 months later, was "greatly distressed" by the publication, said Mr Eady.
She had always refused acting parts involving full frontal nudity.
The magazine feature conveyed the impression that she was a "hypocrite" who in her early years had a history of pornographic modelling.
Mr Eady said that in 1973 Miss Ward appeared topless in the film Got It Made, which was in no sense pornographic.
The film was reissued under the title Sweet Virgin, with a number of scenes involving full frontal nudity and lesbian activity added and giving the impression that Miss Ward was participating.
The pictures in the magazine were stills from that film and were not of Miss Ward's body.
Caption: LALLA WARD—"horrified."
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