Dame Judi Dench reveals how she'd like to die - and why she 'loathes' being called a national treasure
Despite having an idea in mind for the end, she also sees herself jumping out of planes at 100 years old
From Shakespeare to shaken, not stirred, Dame Judi Dench has been a singular presence across film, theatre and television - and the good news is she has no plans to retire any time soon.
In fact, she wants to work right up until the end. And she means that literally. As she explains in her new autobiography, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It? as serialised in The Times, the acting legend wants to die in her dressing room after finishing a show.
When describing why she won’t retire, Judi shares in the upcoming book, "'Retire', 'vintage', 'old' - let’s banish those words. I want to be like Newton Blick, who died in his dressing room after a performance."
Working right up until her final bow isn’t the only goal the 91-year-old has in mind. She added, "I want to be one of those women who throw themselves out of planes when they’re 100."
For Dame Judi, getting older has only brought one benefit - "They give you a dressing room nearer the stage. Otherwise, forget it. And you have to contend with people asking, ‘When are you going to retire?’ or, ’Isn’t it about time you put your feet up?’ No, it bloody well isn’t."
It’s this attitude, plus her work in the likes of James Bond, Cranford, As Time Goes By and her stage work that has made her an undeniable national treasure… just don’t call her that to her face.
When asked by the biography’s co-writer, her friend Brendan O’Hea, about her reputation as one of Britain’s beloved treasures, Judi explained that she actually "loathes" the title.
Why? "Makes me sound like a dusty old relic that’s been stuffed away in the back of the cupboard, along with some dinosaur fossils and a broken Roman shield."
Despite reassuring fans that she’ll continue to work, the Shakespeare in Love legend also opened up more about the impact her failing eyesight has had on her. Judi has previously explained how she’s "not far away" from being completely blind as she suffers from macular degeneration.
Describing how she copes, she explained, "I’m quite good at acting as if I can see. But then people think I’m cutting them dead when I don’t smile or recognise them.
"I’ve had to find a different method of learning lines because even with the script blown up, I struggle. It’s made me realise I have a photographic memory and so not being able to see the pattern of words on the page makes things really difficult.
"Friends now help and, provided I’m given enough time in advance to prepare, I can somehow muddle through."
