Timothy West died last November and now his wife Prunella Scales has tragically passed away. The pair spoke fondly of one another in their final ever interview
Prunella Scales and Timothy West spoke of their deep love for another in their final interview together. The EastEnders actor revealed that he had spotted a potential sign of his wife Prunella’s dementia years before her diagnosis was confirmed.
In November, it was confirmed that Timothy – known for his roles in shows like EastEnders – had died at the age of 90. Prunella’s death was announced today, just months after her husband’s sad passing.
In what is believed to be one of his last interviews, conducted in 2023, Timothy opened up about his wife Prunella’s battle with dementia. The couple appeared on BBC Breakfast for an interview together, in what would be their last appearance on TV.
Prunella, who is most recognised for her role as Sybil Fawlty in the classic sitcom Fawlty Towers, received her dementia diagnosis in 2014. However, Timothy suggested that he first noticed signs of the condition as early as 2001.
Reflecting on the moment he first observed his wife’s decline, he shared: “I came to see a play that Pru was doing in Greenwich. I went to see the first night and it was good, much enjoyed by the audience, and then I went to see it again a bit later on and I thought ‘Pru’s not … it’s strange. She’s not totally with it.'”
Despite these early signs, her official dementia diagnosis didn’t come until over a decade later. Timothy recalled: “We went to see a specialist who just said ‘I’m sorry this is just something that happens to you when you get older’. It’s not going to get any easier but you can cope with it. We manage.”
Despite the tough landscape they found themselves in, Prunella said: “I have got to know him better and better and better.”
Timothy added: “I know that things are going to change a little bit, but it has been a long time and we have managed pretty well really. I don’t think we ever think ‘oh no.'”
Prunella then shared: “I have been asked to live the rest of my life with somebody I respect very much and agree with a lot of things and argue with about a lot of things quite happily.”
During a chat with the BBC, which was conducted prior to the launch of Timothy’s book, he was questioned about his wife Prunella’s vascular dementia diagnosis. He said that “somehow” they have “coped” over the years.
“Pru doesn’t really think about it,” he added. Timothy and Pru have been husband and wife since 1963. The couple have two sons together, actors Samuel West and Joseph West. Their family also includes Timothy’s daughter Juliet West from a previous marriage.
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