Judi Dench, the 91-year-old acclaimed actor, has announced that she can no longer perform on stage or in films. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday, Dench confirmed that her advancing sight loss, caused by macular degeneration, has reached a point where she is unable to read or recognize faces. "I can’t be on stage. I can’t do a play any more. I can’t do a film any more. I can’t read any more," she told the presenter Emma Barnett.
Dench described the personal challenges of her condition, noting that she often approaches the wrong people, attempting to greet them before realizing her mistake. "I go up to lots of the wrong people and give them an almost hug and say: ‘Oh sorry, didn’t realise’," she explained, adding, "I can’t see your face at all."
This announcement marks a significant development in a long-term decline that has impacted her professional life for years. By 2014, Dench had noted that reading was becoming difficult, though she remained determined to work. By 2023, she could no longer see on film sets, forcing her to rely on friends to teach her scripts through repetitive memorization. Last year, she revealed that her limited vision prevented her from going out alone due to the risk of falling or walking into objects.
The actor also reflected on the sadness of missing natural beauty, such as bluebells, which she was unable to see this past summer. Despite these hardships, Dench spoke with enduring passion about Shakespeare’s sonnets. "I am besotted by the sonnets, I just love them," she said, praising their ability to simply capture human emotion and rhythm. Her comments were made ahead of the publication of her memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, which she co-wrote with theatre director Brendan O’Hea.
Dench’s illustrious career spans over seven decades, featuring an Oscar-winning performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love and iconic portrayals of M in eight James Bond films. Her extensive stage repertoire includes celebrated roles such as Cleopatra, Lady Macbeth, and Juliet.
Asked about ageing, Dench replied: “There’s nothing to say for it at all. [I] don’t think about it too much.”
