Judi Dench, 90, is set to front her own TV show where she enjoys drinks with longtime pal Kenneth Branagh – after scaling back acting due to sight loss

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Judi Dench has obtained what many consider the ultimate job in show business, as she’ll be featured in a unique Sky Arts program where she shares drinks with one of her famous friends.

90-year-old Academy Award winner Dame Judi invites her lifelong friend and co-star, Kenneth Branagh (age 64), for a heartfelt chat at her beautiful rural residence.

The one-time produced show is set to air later this year, and Sky has expressed optimism about potential additional episodes in the future.

The show will feature a mix of archival material and personal stories, as Judi and Kenneth reminisce about the humorous and significant events of their distinguished careers.

Phil Edgar-Jones, the unscripted executive director, expressed that they aim to launch a series potentially featuring Judi Dench, originally titled “Champagne with Judi,” but this was rejected by Compliance.

‘The first one she is going to do with Kenneth Branagh.’

Although primarily recognized for her stage performances and notable roles in the James Bond series as M and her Academy Award-winning performance in Shakespeare In Love, Judi Dench has also made appearances in several documentaries more recently.

The programming features a 2017 documentary detailing her deep love for trees, and in 2019, she embarked on an Asian journey for the ITV series titled “Judi Dench’s Borneo Wild Adventure.

Over the past few years, Judi’s acting career has been diminished due to challenges she faces with vision impairment.

In 2012, the esteemed actress disclosed that she has been diagnosed with macular degeneration, a condition affecting her eyesight, known for leading to irreversible and swift central vision impairment. It’s the most common reason for vision loss in individuals aged 50 and above.

This year, it was disclosed that Judi’s eyesight has become so poor that she requires assistance from a guide whenever she steps outdoors.

At a 2021 gathering organized by the London-based Vision Foundation, Judi candidly shared that she encounters difficulties in reading scripts because her eyesight is quickly diminishing.

She suggested: “You should discover means to navigate through and surmount the things that prove particularly challenging for you.

As a devoted enthusiast, I’ve stumbled upon an unusual yet effective method for memorizing my lines and essentials. Instead of relying solely on traditional means, I’ve enlisted the aid of my trusted friends who graciously recite them repeatedly, ensuring these words become as familiar to me as the backs of their hands.

Through practice and repetition, I aim to improve. I can only hope that my efforts are not too glaringly obvious, even when the outcome seems bleak in every attempt.

Judi mentioned during an interview on The Graham Norton Show that she now struggles to remember lines, since she previously relied heavily on her exceptional memory, akin to a photographic one.

She stated her requirement as follows: “I’m looking for a device that not only helps me memorize my lines but also indicates their location on the script.

In the past, memorizing lines and keeping them in mind was a breeze for me. With no effort at all, I could recite the entire play, Twelfth Night, off the top of my head.

Over the last few years, the veteran actress has primarily been seen on-screen in documentaries, with her most recent film role being in Allelujah back in 2022.

In May, she confessed that she doesn’t have any upcoming projects planned out, as she is currently dealing with worsening eyesight issues.

At the Chelsea Flower Show, a reporter enquired about future acting roles for Judi, to which she replied, “Not at all, I can hardly see!

By late 2022, she was adamant about not retiring yet and persisted in her efforts, even though she acknowledged that her condition at the time was quite challenging.

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2025-08-22 03:48