Dame Judi Dench, 91, says failing eyesight has ended her acting career
The gist
British actor Judi Dench, 91, said worsening eyesight means she can no longer act on stage or film.
Her memoir is driving fresh coverage of her Bond years and late husband.
How it unfolded
- Oct 11, 2026Dench, 91, said she would like to die in a theater dressing room after a performance and pushed back on retirement rumors.
- Oct 14, 2026In her autobiography, serialised in The Times, she said she wants to work until the end and wants to die in her dressing room after a show.
- Oct 22, 2026She told BBC Radio 4 she can no longer do theater or film because of worsening eyesight, saying she can't be on stage, do a play, do a film or read anymore.
Key terms
- macular degeneration
- An eye disease of the macula, the retina's central area for sharp vision, mainly affecting older adults and impairing reading and face recognition.
- Bananagrams
- A word game using lettered tiles to spell words, invented by Abraham and Rena Nathanson.
- Old Vic
- A 1,000-seat nonprofit producing theatre in Waterloo, London, established in 1818.
Source: Wikipedia