Prunella Scales, star of Fawlty Towers, dies at 93

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Prunella Scales, a well-known British actress, has died at the age of 93. Her sons, Samuel and Joseph, confirmed her passing in a statement.

I was so saddened to hear that Prunella Scales, who I always adored, passed away peacefully at her home in London yesterday. She was 93 years old. Even though dementia eventually led her to retire after an incredible acting career spanning almost 70 years, she was able to stay at home, which is lovely to know.

Prunella Scales passed away shortly after enjoying an episode of Fawlty Towers. She shared a 61-year marriage with Timothy West, who died in November 2024. She leaves behind a family including her two sons, one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

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We’re deeply grateful to everyone who cared for Pru during her final days. Thanks to their kindness, she was comfortable, peaceful, and felt loved until the very end.

Prunella was born in Surrey in 1932. Her father, John Richardson Illingworth, was a cotton salesman and a veteran of World War I, and her mother, Catherine Scales, was an actress known as ‘Bim’.

Despite being encouraged to apply to top universities like Oxford or Cambridge, she chose to study acting for two years at the Old Vic theatre school, continuing her mother’s legacy in the entertainment industry.

She began her acting career with parts like the lively Lydia Bennet in the 1952 film version of Pride and Prejudice (with Peter Cushing as Mr. Darcy) and in David Lean’s Hobson’s Choice.

For the next forty years, she became a beloved figure on British television and in film, especially known for her role as the calm and strong-willed Sybil Fawlty in the classic sitcom Fawlty Towers. She also starred in other popular shows like After Henry and the delightful Mapp & Lucia.

She remained a busy actress in television, film, and theatre throughout the 2000s, and in 1992 received a CBE for her contributions to the theatre. Her final television project was a documentary series she made with her husband, actor Timothy West, called Great Canal Journeys.

The show initially appeared to be about a couple traveling around the UK on a narrowboat. However, it became a deeply touching portrayal of life with dementia, as one half of the couple, John Scales, had been diagnosed with the condition. According to The Guardian, it was “a beautiful, meditative programme about a devoted couple facing a major challenge together.”

Scales continued to live with dementia till her death. West predeceased her in 2024.

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2025-10-28 14:20