Fawlty Towers star Prunella Scales dies aged 93: Timothy West’s beloved wife passes away after years-long dementia battle

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Fawlty Towers star Prunella Scales has died aged 93 after a years-long battle with dementia.

The popular actress was most famous for playing Sybil Fawlty, the assertive wife of Basil Fawlty, in the BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers.

Even though the show only lasted for two seasons with a total of 12 episodes, Prunella’s acting made her incredibly well-known.

Prunella Scales passed away less than a year after her husband, celebrated actor Timothy West, died in November 2024 at the age of 90.

Prunella Scales won the hearts of many viewers on the TV show Great Canal Journeys, especially with her brave and positive attitude while living with a health condition she was diagnosed with in 2013, after experiencing symptoms for years.

Timothy first noticed something was wrong with his wife in 2001 while watching her act in a play. He realized she wasn’t fully present in her role and seemed different than usual.

In his 2023 memoir, Timothy shared a particularly striking moment of fear: the possibility that he might be developing Alzheimer’s disease.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Prunella Scales, and while everyone knows her best for one iconic role, what many people don’t realize is just how incredibly versatile she is. She’s appeared in so many things – hundreds of TV shows, plays, movies, and radio programs! It’s a testament to her talent and dedication.

As a bit of a royal and television enthusiast, I remember being so impressed with the performance that earned her a BAFTA nomination! It was back in 1991, and she brilliantly played Queen Elizabeth II in the BBC’s adaptation of Alan Bennett’s play, ‘A Question of Attribution.’ It was truly a standout role!

On film, she starred alongside her son, Sam, in Howards End.  

She was nominated for an Olivier Award twice for her performances in the plays Make and Break and Single Spies, with Single Spies also directed by Bennett.

I was absolutely captivated by her one-woman show, ‘An Evening with Queen Victoria’! It’s incredible to think it played for over 20 years – a true testament to her talent and the power of her performance. I saw it multiple times and was always mesmerized.

Born in Surrey in 1932, the actress grew up on a rented farm with no electricity or running water. Her father worked as a cotton salesman and raised his family there.

She went to boarding school in Eastbourne and then won a scholarship to the Old Vic drama school.

Her first job was as an assistant stage manager at the Bristol Old Vic.

After that, acting roles came thick and fast. 

It was her role in Fawlty Towers, however, that truly established Prunella Scales as a legend of British comedy.

The comedy series, about the clumsy Basil Fawlty trying to manage a hotel while constantly being scolded by his demanding wife, is still a national favorite.

This is despite the fact that the programme ran for just two series, in 1975 and 1979.

In 2000, the year Fawlty Towers was voted the best British TV show, Prunella Scales told the Mail that it was amazing how well the show had stood the test of time.

I’m so proud of and thankful for Sybil. I occasionally still receive royalty checks, which are a great help in funding my theater work.

The actor first encountered Timothy in 1961 while they were both performing in a TV play called ‘She Died Young,’ which West later admitted wasn’t very good.

Prunella later said that her future husband was ‘charming’. 

‘He wore a different waistcoat every day and a variety of decoratives,’ she added. 

At the time, Timothy was married to actress Jacqueline Boyer, so their relationship began as a friendship.

In a 2003 article for the Daily Mail, Boyer, who lived with bipolar disorder, described leaving West feeling uncertain about what awaited him upon his return.

The pair had daughter Juliet together before their marriage collapsed. 

Timothy said his first wife was cheating with a man they had taken in as a lodger, and that he, in turn, had begun a relationship with Scales.

Prunella’s letters to West were revealed in Teresa Ransom’s 2005 biography.

In an earlier message, written before his divorce, Scales mentioned he was rehearsing on Monday and thought lunch might be possible, though it would likely be difficult.

Thank you so much for your kind letter. I won’t apologize for how I write. God bless you as well. With love, P.

Timothy divorced his first wife in 1963 and quickly married Prunella that October.

Prunella later revealed that their honeymoon in Buckinghamshire was at a rather seedy hotel, calling it a ‘dirty weekend place’.

Timothy acknowledged that he and his wife used to argue intensely, and once, during a particularly bad fight, he admitted to pulling her hair.

Prunella carefully put the piece of fur in an envelope. ‘I was a little annoyed that she was giving it so much attention,’ Timothy explained.

But he touchingly added: ‘Whoever is left when one of us dies will be absolutely devastated.’

Despite frequent work-related absences, their marriage stayed loving and strong as they grew older.

Oh my gosh, back in 2000, Prunella just casually dropped the most amazing thing! She was talking about her marriage and, honestly, she said they still had a really exciting sex life! I mean, how fabulous is that? It was so refreshing to hear her be so open and honest – she’s just the best!

‘And it gets, you know, better as the years go by.’  

The couple had their first son, Sam, in 1966, and their youngest son, Joseph, on New Year’s Day in 1969.

Sam became a successful actor like his parents, but his brother chose to live a more private life and avoid the entertainment industry.

Tragically, the last 20 years of Prunella’s life were shaped by the advance of her dementia. 

However, she continued working well into her final years despite her illness.

She appeared on the show Great Canal Journeys with her husband for seven years, from 2014 to 2021.

Writing in his memoir, Pru & Me, West opened up about his wife’s condition. 

He explained that what he missed the most was simply not being able to share their hopes and fears with each other anymore.

I mean, you can talk to anyone, right? Chat with them, maybe even go see a play together. But truly sharing yourself, letting someone see who you really are… that’s different. That’s not something you do with just anyone. It has to be someone special, someone you completely trust. It’s… everything, really.

‘Still, my regrets are tempered by the fact that Pru is happy and knows she is loved.

We’re fortunate to have a big, supportive family, wonderful friends, and a home with a garden that Pru loves and feels secure in. But above everything else, we cherish our relationship with each other.

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2025-10-28 13:35