Judi Dench has said her worsening eye condition means she can no longer read, act on stage or make films.
The 91-year-old Oscar-winning actor, who was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2012, made the comments during an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“I can’t be on stage. I can’t do a play anymore. I can’t do a film anymore. I can’t read anymore,” Dench said.
AMD affects the ability to see directly in front of the person affected. Dench said she had to “make allowances” for the condition, which has worsened, while trying “just get on and don’t think about it too much”.
She previously said in 2024 that the condition had affected her ability to work. Speaking to CBS Mornings at the time, she added: “And it doesn’t matter. In the great scheme of things, doesn’t matter.”
Asked by interviewer Emma Barnett how she was finding ageing, Dench replied: “Rubbish.”
“There’s nothing to say for it at all,” she continued, adding that she did not think much about the concept of ageing.
Dench has enjoyed a decades-long career in film and theatre and is widely known for her work in Shakespearean plays.
Asked what advice she would give to her younger self, she said taking risks was important.
“If people say, ‘Oh, this is so like you, you’ve got to play it,’ no, that’s not the one to play,” she said. “For me, always frightening, but that’s part of it.”
She added: “Use the energy, but, just don’t ever take it for granted … It’s always work in progress. Always.”
