Dame Judi Dench attends the "Finding Harmony: A King's Vision" Windsor Castle Premiere at Windsor Castle on January 28, 2026Image source, Samir Hussein/WireImage
ByFlorence Freeman
  • Published8 minutes ago

Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench says her eye condition has left her unable to perform on stage or read, more than a decade after she was diagnosed.

Dench was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 2012, a condition that affects her vision and has made it incredibly difficult to even recognise faces.

Speaking to Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she said: "I can't be on stage. I can't do a play anymore. I can't do a film anymore. I can't read anymore."