Actress Prunella Scales enjoyed a lengthy and loving marriage to her actor husband Timothy West as he supported her through her Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Actress Prunella Scales has died just months after her actor husband Timothy West. The Fawlty Towers’ Sybil star died aged 93 following Timothy’s death in November 2024.
Her sons confirmed the sad news in a statement as they said: “Our darling mother Prunella Scales died peacefully at home in London yesterday. She was 93.
“Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home. She was watching Fawlty Towers the day before she died.” They added: “She is survived by two sons and one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. We would like to thank all those who gave Pru such wonderful care at the end of her life: her last days were comfortable, contented and surrounded by love.”
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Prunella and Timothy wed in 1963, and had two sons; the elder being the actor and director Samuel West, and a stepdaughter, Juliet. While it’s not known when they met, it’s believed it was around the time Prunella appeared as Kate Starling in the BBC sitcom Marriage Lines.
In 1963, they had a very lowkey wedding at Chelsea Registry Office, with Prunella choosing a tailored coat, black gloves and black heels – rather than a white wedding dress. She completed her look with a fur hat.
However, on their 40th wedding anniversary Prunella admitted her regret at not marrying in a church. They decided to have a do-over and renewed their vows in 2003 in front of their children.
Timothy appeared in Dad’s Army, Coronation Street, Gentleman Jack and EastEnders. Prunella once admitted that if she and her husband were out of work they became “very depressed”.
Despite their acting success, their marriage was their greatest achievement. Speaking to The Times, she said: “I think I’m a very lucky lady. I’m married to a very interesting person and I love him very much and I’m interested in him.
“So it’s not a problem. If I had an unhappy marriage and was married to somebody I didn’t get on with, I’d be a different person.” In January 2013, Prunella revealed her short term memory was fading.
A year later her husband confirmed that she was living with Alzheimer’s disease. The couple appeared together in 10 series of Great Canal Journeys for Channel 4 from 2014 until her Alzheimer’s reportedly progressed to the point where they had to stop in 2020.
However, the Bradford-born icon stated their relationship hadn’t changed since the diagnosis, with Prunella later confirming: “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’.”
The actress added: “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.”
Timothy stated that the pair “somehow coped” with the news although Prunella often didn’t think about her condition. During an episode of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, Timothy revealed he struggled to communicate properly with his wife.
“When we’ve been to a concert, or a play, or a film, there’s nothing very much we can say about it afterwards because Pru will have a fairly hazy memory,” he said. “She’d have enjoyed her evening and she’ll perhaps talk about the acting, but she’s not able to cope with talking about what the play was saying.”
However, the couple refused to dwell on this, with him explaining: “Well, the sad thing is that you just watch the gradual disappearance of the person that you knew and loved and were very close to. There’s a lot of her left, and we still enjoy life and there are a lot of things that Pru is able to enjoy and we’re able to do together.
“If you live from day to day it’s manageable. It’s when you start thinking of the past and thinking, ‘Oh what a shame she can’t do that anymore, she doesn’t appreciate that anymore and we can’t talk about this anymore’, then it’s sad.”
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