Dame Judi Dench: Eye Condition Has Devastated Ability to Read, Perform...
BBC NewsOctober 22, 2026
Dame Judi Dench, 91, has revealed that age-related macular degeneration diagnosed in 2012 has made performing impossible—she can no longer act on stage or in films, read scripts, or recognize faces. The Oscar-winning actress, best known for playing James Bond's boss "M" across multiple films starting in 1995, told BBC Radio 4 that her deteriorating vision has fundamentally reshaped her seven-decade career. She's now promoting her memoir and adapting to life without the work that defined her, though she emphasized radio remains accessible to her.