Dame Judi Dench became emotional as she spoke about her late husband. Photo / Channel 4
Dame Judi Dench became emotional as she spoke about her late husband. Photo / Channel 4
Dame Judi Dench broke down in tears when she was overcome with memories of her late husband, Michael Williams.
The 89-year-old actress found love with the British actor in her 30s and went on to marry him in 1971. While little is known about the former husband and wife’s relationship, they welcomed a daughter together, Finty Williams, in 1972.
Heartbreakingly for the pair, Williams, who was best known for his role in A Fine Romance alongside his wife, was diagnosed with lung cancer and died age 65 on January 11, 2001.
Dame Judi Dench, Michael Williams and daughter Finty Williams arrive for the 72nd Annual Academy Awards. Photo / Getty Images
A day before he died, the actor, who also voiced Dr Watson in Sherlock Holmes adaptions for BBC Radio, was appointed a Knight of St Gregory (KSG) by Pope John Paul II.
While Dench has since moved on and found love with David Mills in 2010, the actress has plenty of undying love for her late husband and broke down in tears while filming her show, The Odd Couple with Jay Blades.
In a recent episode of the Channel 4 show, Dench and Blades were visiting the Casino Royale star’s home town of Charlecote, a place she lived with Williams and a place she hadn’t been to since they moved in 1984.
“I want to take Jay to see my old home in the village of Charlecote but having not been back since leaving in 1984... this isn’t going to be easy,” she told the camera.
Jay Blades supported his friend Dame Judi Dench as they drove through her old home town. Photo / Channel 4
As the two friends arrived at Dench’s old home, she said, “Oh, oh, this is a strange feeling” and began to look upset.
As her emotions took over, the star confessed, “Ok, this is hard,” prompting Blades to hold her hands in support.
“It holds a lot of memories, oh my goodness me!” Dench said. “It’s very strange.”
Dench revealed in 2020, during an interview with David Tennant, that she would “never get over” her late husband despite having fallen in love with her now partner, Mills.
It comes after the star revealed at the Chelsea Flower Show that she has no plans for any more acting jobs as she “can’t even see” due to macular degeneration, which has grown so severe she can no longer drive or read scripts.
When asked if she has any acting work planned, she told a reporter, “No, no, I can’t even see!”
Dench’s last film credit was 2022′s Spirited.
The friends visited Dame Judi Dench and her late husband's old home. Photo / Channel 4
Her agent told the Daily Mirror that they had nothing more to add to the actress’ comment when they were approached for clarification on her acting plans.
Her representative told the newspaper: “Judi has nothing more to add than all she mentioned to the journalist.
“Dame Judi is still busy with off-screen projects, and is still promoting her 2023 book, Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent.”
