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The legendary performer Judi Dench has opened up about the effects of growing older on her vision and memory, stating she frequently finds it hard to remember upcoming appointments – yet can easily recall extensive passages of the Bard's work.

"I have no memory of what I'm doing tomorrow, I promise you," she told a magazine.

Her assistants verified that this kind of help are sometimes necessary. She further mentioned that her degenerative eye condition now means faces to appear "blurred" even when up close.

A Condition That 'Crushes'

"It's devastating," Dench noted, adding that it means she can no longer watching television. "I long to see Clive Myrie hosting Mastermind," she continued, "but I can still hear the questions."

Dench, who turns 91 this week, is fronting a new documentary about her longstanding relationship with Shakespeare's works. She will also be seen in conversation with Kenneth Branagh in a separate show set for broadcast over the Christmas holidays.

Regarding Friends and Acquittals

Dench also mentioned staying in contact with actor Kevin Spacey, who was acquitted of sexual assault charges in 2023. "Kevin was cleared," Dench affirmed, "and we are in contact, we text."

Earlier this year, Dench disclosed she now requires full-time assistance in public to avoid tripping due to her vision problems. She was first diagnosed with the eye condition in 2012, a degenerative disease that is the leading cause of vision loss in the UK.

Coping with New Realities

She has credited the condition with her effective stepping back from film work. "I can't see on a film set any more," she explained, adding: "Reading is also impossible. But you just cope."

"It's challenging if I have any length of a part. I haven't yet found a way. Since I have so many friends who will help me learn the script."

Her last film appearance was a small role in the 2022 holiday film Spirited; prior to that she had a larger role in Allelujah. The same year also brought her her eighth Oscar nomination for Belfast.

A Continued Public Presence

Dench still appears frequently in public, however, such as at fundraisers including a recent one last month with Ian McKellen. In May, she was sculpted live to raise funds. She noted she could not see the final artwork, but would feel it "if permitted."