Actor Samuel West has candidly spoken about the loss of both his parents, Timothy West and Prunella Scales, during an emotional moment on Channel 5's 'Sam and Ade Go Birding'. The programme, which has aired over the past three weeks, follows West and his co-host as they explore some of the UK's most stunning nature reserves.
During the final episode, set in the Somerset Levels, viewers witnessed a touching exchange in the car. Twiddling his moustache, Samuel revealed he had grown the facial hair for his role as Malvolio in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Twelfth Night. Noting that it had been a week since the production wrapped, he confessed: 'I know, I'm slightly worrying about saying goodbye to him.'
He continued: 'I've played him twice, once when my dad died and once when my mum died. He got me through a tough year. Is it time to take it off, do you think?' His co-host, Adrian, then offered to remove the moustache himself, trimming the ends off on the spot.
A Year of Loss
In 2024, Samuel's father, Timothy West, passed away at the age of 90 from a subdural haematoma and extra-axial haemorrhage following a fall. Tragically, his mother, Prunella Scales, followed a year later in 2025 at the age of 93, after a lengthy struggle with vascular dementia.
Both parents were celebrated actors. Prunella Scales was best known for her iconic role as Sybil Fawlty in 'Fawlty Towers', while Timothy West featured in numerous productions on stage and screen. He received a BAFTA nomination for his performance in 'Edward the Seventh' and appeared in popular soaps including 'Coronation Street' and 'EastEnders'. Timothy was equally celebrated for his theatre work, taking on iconic roles such as King Lear, Macbeth, and Falstaff.
Final Conversation
Reflecting on his final conversation with his mother, Samuel was visibly moved. As the birdwatchers sat in a car awaiting a sighting, he revealed: 'Since we last met, my mum died. A week ago.' He described how they went to Shaftesbury Avenue to see the West End theatres dim their front of house lights, something that would have astonished and delighted her, but 'really floored' him.
He continued: 'The last proper conversation I had with her was when a couple of years ago she said, "How old am I?" And I said, "You are 91 now." And she said, "91? (expletive)." It was beautifully timed, beautifully enunciated.' He added: 'I mean, we had a few more conversations after that, but that may be the last one I remember.'
'Sam & Ade Go Birding' airs on Channel 5.
