Dame Judi Dench has revealed that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has taken away her ability to read, see certain colours and recognise faces, ending her stage and screen career.
The 91-year-old James Bond star, diagnosed with the condition in 2012, made the admission during an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme with presenter Emma Barnett.
Unable to work or read
Dench told Barnett: "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. So you've got to adjust to all that and make allowances for it and just get on and don't think about it too much."
Her close friend Brendan O'Hea, who co-wrote her new autobiography, joined the interview and described how she has found a new creative outlet.
Finding new ways to express herself
O'Hea explained: "You say you can no longer paint anymore, you used to love painting watercolours, but now you've discovered a new game of paper, where you… [tear the paper]. That's what's wonderful about it, you're not defeated by it."
He added: "You go, 'Okay', and you challenge everyone to make a sheep or a unicorn or something and have a competition. So instead of being able to see something and painting a wonderful landscape with watercolours, you're able to tear paper animals. You're finding another way of expressing yourself."
Loss of colour and recognition
O'Hea recalled a poignant moment: "What I found very sad was I asked you two years ago, I said, 'Let's go and see the bluebells, they look so beautiful', and you said, 'I can't see the colour blue anymore'."
When Barnett asked if blue is "gone" for Dench, she said: "They said this summer was absolutely sensational with bluebells – I couldn't see one. I know what my trees look like, so part of it is in my memory and part of it is what I can hopefully just about make out."
The star also confessed that being unable to recognise faces leads to awkward encounters, as she sometimes approaches the wrong people to "give them an almost hug" before realising her error.
Asked directly "Is ageing any good, Judi Dench?", she replied: "Ageing? Rubbish. There's nothing to say for it at all. Nothing at all. Don't think about it too much."
