Dame Judi Dench says she has no plans to retire

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 15:38 · Archive

Dame Judi Dench, 91, has said she has no plans to retire and hopes to work until her final days.

Dame Judi Dench, the 91-year-old actress born in York, has said she has no plans to retire and hopes to work until her final days. She shared her reflections in her new autobiography, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, which is being serialised in The Times.

In the book, Dame Judi said: 'Retire, vintage, old – let's banish those words. I want to be like Newton Blick, who died in his dressing room after a performance.' She also joked about her reputation as a 'national treasure', a label she strongly dislikes, in discussions with the autobiography's co-writer and friend Brendan O'Hea.

The memoir is published in the UK on 22 October 2026. Publisher Penguin Books said it takes readers back to her upbringing in York, exploring the parents who shaped her, the brother who encouraged her to act, and the teachers who inspired her. Dame Judi is known for roles in James Bond films, Cranford, and an Oscar-winning performance in Shakespeare in Love.

How it is being reported

• Dame Judi Dench addresses questions on when she'll retireWoman and Home reports Dame Judi Dench, the 91-year-old actress, who was born in Heworth and attend The Mount School in York, has shared her candid reflections.Gazette & Herald (Malton) · 16 Oct, 15:00
• Dame Judi Dench addresses questions on when she'll retireWoman and Home reports Dame Judi Dench, the 91-year-old actress, who was born in Heworth and attend The Mount School in York, has shared her candid reflections.The Press (York) · 16 Oct, 15:00

In this story: Dame Judi Dench · York · The Times · Penguin Books · Brendan O'Hea

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