Judi Dench says macular degeneration means she can no longer act

Dame Judi Dench has said that age-related macular degeneration has left her unable to act on stage or in film, and unable to read.

The 91-year-old Oscar-winning actress was diagnosed with the condition, often called AMD, in 2012. She discussed its impact in an interview with Emma Barnett on Radio 4's Today programme and while speaking about her new memoir.

Dench said her sight is now so poor that she cannot see faces. She described approaching the wrong people and saying hello, only to be told they had not realised who she was. She said she has to put up with the condition and that her mother had it too.

She said she could no longer do a play or a film, or read, and that she had to adjust to all that. When asked about ageing, she replied 'Rubbish' and said there was 'nothing to save for it at all'.

The actress, known for her role as M in eight James Bond films, was speaking about a new memoir written with her friend, theatre director Brendan O'Hea. It was noted that one unexpected positive of her sight loss was finding new hobbies. She can no longer paint watercolours, but has taken up tearing paper and challenging others to make shapes such as a sheep or a unicorn.

Dench also joked about still enjoying a flutter on horses, and declined to give a view on who should be the next James Bond. The disclosures make clear that the condition has changed her working life and daily routines, while she continues to find ways to stay engaged.