🔗 Share this article Judi Dench Reveals Memory Struggles Yet Holds Onto Shakespeare Verses. The legendary performer Judi Dench has opened up about the impact of aging on her vision and recall, revealing she frequently finds it hard to recall immediate plans – yet can effortlessly recite extensive passages of Shakespearean text. "I have no memory of what I'm doing tomorrow, I promise you," she told a magazine. Her assistants confirmed that this kind of help are at times required. Dench added that her age-related macular degeneration now means faces to appear "in a fog" even when up close. A Condition That 'Crushes' "It's devastating," Dench noted, adding that it prevents her from watching television. "I miss seeing Clive Myrie hosting Mastermind," she said, "but I can at least hear the questions." Dench, who turns 91 this week, is fronting a new documentary about her deep connection with Shakespeare's works. Audiences will also see her being interviewed by Kenneth Branagh in a separate show airing over the Christmas holidays. Regarding Friends and Acquittals The star also discussed remaining in touch with fellow actor Kevin Spacey, who was found not guilty of sexual assault charges in 2023. "Kevin was cleared," she stated, "and we are in contact, we text." In recent months, Dench said she needs full-time assistance in public to avoid falling over due to her failing eyesight. She first revealed the eye condition in 2012, a degenerative disease that is the primary reason of sight loss in the UK. Adapting to Change She has credited the condition with her effective stepping back from film work. "I can no longer see properly on set," she said in 2023, adding: "And I can't see to read. But you just cope." "It's challenging if I have any length of a part. I haven't yet found a way. Because I have so many friends who will teach me the script." Her last film appearance was a brief part in the 2022 Christmas movie Spirited; earlier that year she had a larger role in Allelujah. That year also brought her her eighth Oscar nomination for Belfast. A Continued Public Presence Dench still appears frequently in public, however, including at fundraisers like one last month with Ian McKellen. This past spring, she was sculpted live for charity. She noted she could not see the finished sculpture, but would touch it "if permitted."