Dame Judi Dench celebrates 90th birthday

Multi-award winning actress Dame Judi Dench is marking a milestone after turning 90 on Monday.

Dame Judi, who lives in Surrey, has enjoyed a career spanning decades in theatre, TV and film, with an Oscar, a Tony and two Golden Globes among her many awards.

Her roles have varied from Shakespeare to M in seven films in the Bond franchise.

Speaking to BBC Radio Surrey, friend and fellow actress Jenny Seagrove described her "wicked sense of humour" as "legendary".

Ms Seagrove, who runs the Mane Chance Horse Sanctuary at Compton, near Guildford, said: "When you work with her you know you're in the presence of a real talent. You think 'I'd better up the bar a bit.'

"On screen, on stage, the very best make you think they're doing nothing, whereas it's like a swan with the legs paddling very fast underneath."

Ms Seagrove's late partner, the theatrical producer Bill Kenwright, also worked with Dame Judi many times.

Dame Judi has also supported several local causes, including a hospice in Crawley, a podcast to raise funds for theatre workers and a fund to research age-related malcular degeneration, an eye loss condition that she has been diagnosed with herself.

She previously said about her birthday: "It's just that you get a bit nervous when everybody says 90.

"I don't want to think of 90 much, I'm going to think about [turning] 29."

Ms Seagrove recalled an occasion when a friend of her father asked if Dame Judi would visit his village Shakespeare and poetry society.

She said: "I forwarded it to her PA and got a reply saying 'Judi can't come, but she'd love to film a sonnet for them.'

"So, duly, she filmed a sonnet for them, a beautiful sonnet about love.

"It was the highlight of their evening, Judi sitting in an armchair just speaking to the camera the words of Shakespeare.

"That's what she does. She just goes above and beyond."

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