Dame Judi Dench has confessed to behaving "so badly" and being "so rude" to podcaster and TV presenter Richard Osman at an event, an incident she attributes to her worsening sight condition. The 91-year-old actress, known for roles in James Bond, Shakespeare in Love and Philomena, details the encounter in her autobiography Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, co-authored with her friend Brendan O'Hea in a question-and-answer format.
An awkward encounter
Dench, who stands just over five feet tall, described how she approached Osman, 55, presenter of Pointless Celebrities and The Rest Is Entertainment, at an event. She said: "There he was, standing around at an event, and I sidled up and said, 'May I have my photograph taken please?'" She added: "Only then did I realise he was talking to someone and I was so rude - no apology. It turned out to be Alexander Armstrong, I must send him a voice note. That's what comes with not being able to see."
The incident follows a pattern she described involving tall men, which began with American artist Mark Bradford, who is six feet eight. She joked: "You should see the photo - I don't even come up to his armpit. I look like something you'd throw for the dog."
Living with macular degeneration
Dench has been affected by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition the NHS describes as impacting the central area of one's vision. The same condition affected her mother and has significantly impacted her capacity to work and engage with others since her diagnosis in 2012.
In a recent interview on BBC Radio 4 with Emma Barnett, Dench revealed she can no longer read, view films or perform on stage. She said: "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." She also discussed how her deteriorating eyesight means she occasionally confuses people for others, sometimes nearly embracing the wrong individual before recognising her mistake. On growing older, she remarked there was "nothing to say" and that she attempts not to dwell on it "too much".
