Born Lim Phaik-Seng in Penang, Malaysia, in 1944, Pik-Sen Lim changed her first name after moving to Britain when she discovered that British acquaintances were mispronouncing "Phaik" as "fake". Her career began in the early 1970s, and she quickly became what the British Film Institute described as "the most recognisable Chinese actor on British television throughout the 1970s and 80s".

Pik-Sen's breakthrough role came in 1977 when she was cast as Chung Su-Lee in the popular ITV sitcom Mind Your Language, a role that would define her career and bring her widespread recognition. The show ran from 1977 to 1979, with Pik-Sen briefly returning for its revival in 1986. 

Throughout her career, Pik-Sen appeared in numerous British television series including Coronation Street, Spearhead, Casualty, Holby City, and The Bill. Her film work included a memorable role as the Killer Cleaner in Johnny English Reborn (2011). She also lent her distinctive voice to multiple video game series. 

Pik-Sen Lim’s connection to science fiction began early, with one of her first notable television appearances being as Chin Lee in the 1971 Doctor Who serial, The Mind of Evil, starring Jon Pertwee. At the time, she was married to the story’s writer, Don Houghton. Their daughter Sara Houghton is also an actress. 

Pik-Sen later reprised the role of Chin Lee for Big Finish in the UNIT: Revisitations story, Open the Box. However, her first Big Finish contribution was in 2018’s Jenny - The Doctor's Daughter, where she guest-starred alongside Georgia Tennant in the story Neon Reign.

Director Barnaby Edwards remembers Pik-Sen fondly: 

"My abiding memory of Pik-Sen 'Call me Pixie' Lim is of the utter delight she inspired in those of us lucky enough to work with her. I was directing her in one of the stories in the first series of Jenny - The Doctor's Daughter. She was playing a kindly old lady who transforms into a fire-breathing dragon, a role which thrilled her. I remember Pixie taking me to one side shortly after she arrived at the studio and doing her transformation at me, complete with bellows and fire breathing. 'I can't get my voice much lower than this,' she said gruffly. 'Will that do? Does that sound big enough?' I told her we would be doing things like the fire-breathing with sound effects and that we would be pitch-bending her voice down an octave, so she'd sound huge. She immediately wanted to hear the effect live and, when she did, clapped her hands ecstatically.

"She was acting alongside her daughter, Sara, and their relationship was a joy to behold: Sara was the responsible adult; Pixie, the naughty child. And nowhere was this mischief more in evidence than during the wildtrack session at the end of the day.

"Wildtracks are all the voices in the background of scenes, an audio sound bed that helps flesh out the world of the story. Normally, wildtracks are recorded by the supporting cast after the lead actors and guest stars have left to go home. But Pixie insisted on staying – and I am so pleased she did. That was one of the funniest half-hours I have ever spent in a studio. Pixie was absolutely on fire, playing grumbling peasants, butch guards, screaming citizens, Blade Runner-style animated billboards, computer terminals, speaking doors, you name it. Inventive, mercurial, mischievous and hilarious - it was pure Pixie. Whenever I think of her, that's how I will remember her. How lucky the world was to have her in it."

• Pik-Sen Lim, actress, born September 15, 1944; died June 9, 2025.