West End theatres will dim their lights for two minutes at 7pm on Thursday 30th October in remembrance of beloved British stage and screen actress Prunella Scales, who has died aged 93.
Prunella Scales was best known to millions as Sybil in Fawlty Towers, yet she dedicated much of her career to the theatre. She began at Bristol Old Vic, honed her craft in repertory at venues including Oxford Playhouse, Birmingham Rep, and Nottingham Playhouse, and was a constant presence in the West End for more than five decades. Her range ran from Shakespeare and Noel Coward to Harold Pinter and Alan Bennett.
She received Olivier Award nominations for Make and Break (1980) and Single Spies (1990). She was appointed CBE in 1992, and, alongside her husband, the late Timothy West, was awarded Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre at the UK Theatre Awards in 2012. Scales died peacefully at home in London on 27 October 2025.
SOLT & UK Theatre CO-CEO Hannah Essex said:
“Prunella Scales was an artist of precision, wit, and generosity. Her instinct for comedy, her command of classical text, and her lifelong commitment to the stage left an indelible mark. We are proud to honour her extraordinary career and contribution to British theatre, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.”
Share: