In a review of Meglos (1980), in which Hill was cast as the villain, Radio Times Mark Braxton wrote that Barbara "will always be one of the great companions", speculating that her "magnificently haughty turn" as Yetaxa in The Aztecs was why she was cast in Meglos. Gavin Fuller of The Daily Telegraph named Barbara the sixth best female Doctor Who companion. Will Salmon of SFX listed the departure of Ian and Barbara as the eighth best companion departure. In 2010, readers of Radio Times voted Barbara as the 26th greatest companion, out of 48 options.
