Britain’s acting legend Dame Judi Dench has shared a deeply moving update about her eyesight, revealing she’s now unable to see the stage or television — not even to watch her dear friend Celia Imrie on The Celebrity Traitors.
The 90-year-old double Oscar winner, who suffers from macular degeneration, confessed: “I can’t see any more. When I go to the theatre, I can’t see. Hopeless.” She spoke candidly during an appearance at the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds, where she serves as patron.
Though she can no longer enjoy performances visually, Judi hasn’t lost her spark for storytelling. Laughing softly, she said she still manages to keep up with her friends’ TV appearances thanks to others filling her in. “Somebody told me what was happening. I want to hear the dirt that went on,” she joked when asked about The Celebrity Traitors, where her close friend Celia Imrie is a contestant.
Beyond her acting career, Dame Judi continues to lend her voice to meaningful causes. She’s backing a campaign by Alzheimer’s Research UK, calling on the government to ensure faster dementia diagnoses on the NHS.
“Dementia doesn’t just take away memories – it can take away identity, connection, and the future you thought you had,” she said. “Watching loved ones slip away, and not knowing why, is something no one should face without answers.”
Currently, almost a million people in the UK live with dementia, yet a third have no diagnosis — with some waiting up to a year for confirmation. Judi emphasized how crucial early detection is: “A diagnosis may not fix everything, but it gives families clarity, control, and time to make the most of the moments they have left.”
Hilary Evans-Newton, CEO of Alzheimer’s Research UK, praised the actress for shining a light on the crisis: “We’re incredibly grateful to Dame Judi for helping make unseen dementia visible.”
Even as her sight fades, Dame Judi’s vision for compassion and awareness shines brighter than ever.
