Latest news with #DameJudiDench
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Group backed by Judi Dench takes over North Yorkshire nature site
The future of a site of natural interest in North Yorkshire has been secured, after being taken over by the local community, campaigners have Upper Ouse Conservation Trust (UOCT) raised £275,000 in just four weeks in order to purchase Townend Field in Great Ouseburn, near 20-acre site features wetland habitats, native woodland, a stream and ancient trees including an iconic Judi Dench, who has family links to the area and lent her support to the campaign, called the achievement a "celebration": "I'm very, very pleased and I shall be raising several glasses of champagne to you all!" "We've saved the field and we've saved the tree," the Oscar-winning actress said, in a video UOCT, which was set up by residents in February, will now focus on establishing a nature reserve on the land, the trust said."It's a fantastic achievement, but I think the main emotion we're feeling is very thankful," said operations trustee Graeme said it was a "special area for a lot of people" in the community, highlighting the area's "extremely diverse" range of habitats. Mr Jackson said those who had contributed to the fund had recognised the importance of "giving the kids half an acre of green space to play in, to give some community access to the place, and to preserve and enhance it for wildlife".The area will include an area dedicated to nearby Great Ouseburn Primary School, with further fundraising under way to maintain a traditional stone boundary, develop wildlife habitats and create footpath is to be named "Judi's Walk" in recognition of Dame Judi's support of the project, Mr Jackson said."She's been a huge help."He added: "If you get together and organise, you can do it - because we did!" Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Sky News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Royal sculptor makes bust of Dame Judi Dench live on stage to be auctioned for lymphoedema research
Why you can trust Sky News A sculpture of Dame Judi Dench is being auctioned off to raise funds for lymphoedema research. The acting legend sat for royal sculptor Frances Segelman in front of an audience at Claridge's in London on Monday night. Speaking to Sky News, Dame Judi Dench said she wanted to do something to help her friend, photographer Gemma Levine, who was diagnosed with the disease 15 years ago and organised the event. "Gemma photographed me a very long time ago and we got on very well, we hit it off," she said. "I didn't know about lymphoedema then but I have an assistant Jen, who is my assistant in the theatre and she has lymphoedema, [so] through them I've become aware of it and aware of how much we need to be aware of it." The actor has been facing her own health issues after being diagnosed with macular degeneration, recently telling Trinny Woodall's podcast she can no longer go out alone as her vision has deteriorated significantly. The event doubled as a birthday celebration for the renowned actor, who turned 90 in December. There were several surprise moments, from Simon Callow reciting poetry on stage to an opera singer leading a chorus of Happy Birthday. Dame Judi's daughter Finty Williams took to the stage as the sculpture was being made to reflect on her relationship with her. Before reading an excerpt from the children's book Guess How Much I Love You, she noted how the pair always recite the line: "I love you to the moon and back." Visibly emotional, the award-winning actor said she was pleasantly surprised by her daughter's public display of love. "I didn't know that was going to happen. I had no idea," she said. King Charles among sculptor's past subjects Two statues will be made from the sculpture carved in Mayfair - one for Dame Judi and another to be sold at auction to raise funds for lymphoedema research through St George's Hospital Charity. Lymphoedema is a chronic condition that causes swelling in the body, typically in the arms and legs, and develops when the lymphatic system is not working properly. Frances Segelman is also known as Lady Petchey as she was married to businessman and former Watford FC chairman Sir Jack Petchey, who also had the condition. Her previous work includes busts of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles, and Prince Philip. Getting the chance to sculpt Dame Judi was a "dream come true", she said. "She's been amazing, amazing, amazing," she told Sky News. "[Dame Judi] has got a very pixie-like face, very young, very happy and really gorgeous [with] an amazing spirit that shines through. It's been absolutely wonderful to be able to sculpture her - such a privilege."
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Dame Judi Dench is recreated in clay as royal sculptor crafts bust of actress in front of live audience at charity event to celebrate her 90th birthday
Dame Judi Dench has been recreated in clay after an artist whose portfolio includes the royal family crafted a bust of her. The English acting legend, 90, was sculpted live in front of an audience by royal sculptor Frances Segelman for a charity event in London on Monday. While also celebrating Dame Judi's decades-long career and 90th birthday, the event aimed to raise awareness and money for the Lymphoedema Research Fund (LRF) at St George's Hospital Charity. The event was hosted by Dame Judi's longtime friend, photographer and St George's Hospital Charity ambassador Gemma Levine, who was diagnosed with lymphoedema - a chronic condition that causes swelling of the body's tissues - 15 years ago. Gemma said: 'Dame Judi has given so much to the world through her art, it felt only right to honour her in this way while supporting a cause that's so close to my heart.' Artist Frances, known for her high-profile portfolio which includes sculptures of the King and the late Queen, crafted the majority of the sculpture of Dame Judi in just two hours front of an audience of 200 guests. She will complete and cast the sculpture of Dame Judi in bronze at her studio for it to be sold to raise funds for the charity. Speaking about the live sculpting process, Frances said: 'It's really quite magical, funnily enough, because it's such fast work, it's like crazy mental work. 'I don't know anyone that can get a bust finished in two hours and look exactly like someone. It's such fast work, I do actually get personality in it.' The evening brought together figures from the arts and healthcare industry at Claridge's in London, with Dame Judi taking part to help raise money for the cause. Lymphoedema is a long-term condition which causes swelling in the body's tissue, usually developing in the arms or legs, according to the NHS website. Discussing why she wanted to get involved, royal sculptor Frances explained that she attended a similar event last year and was shocked by the demographic that had attended and were visibly suffering from the condition. She said: 'What really, really got to me was there were young people in the audience, really young people, teenagers with this awful condition, swollen arms, swollen hands, and I felt so sad. 'I really felt I had to do something to help. 'I was quite amazed and shocked by it. And in fact my late husband, Sir Jack Petchey, he passed away about eight to seven months ago and he had lymphoedema. 'He didn't have cancer, but he had the most unbelievable swollen legs, which you often find in older people when they're not walking around a lot, and it's such a horrible thing to have because their legs swell and they can't really walk properly anywhere.' The event is expected to raise more than £40,000 for the Lymphoedema Research Fund at St George's Hospital Charity to support its advances in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition. The sculpture of Judi comes after bosses of the high profile 'science Oscars' edited out a risky sexual gag aimed at the actress, made by J ames Corden, in their final official broadcast of this year's Breakthrough Awards. When the former chat show host delivered the joke about the English actress having sex with a leading US doctor it stunned the A-list Hollywood audience. However the raunchy comment was removed completely from the official broadcast of the entire show on YouTube last month. No explanation was given about the removal of the lurid sexual gag which centred on the acting icon having carnal relations with Dr Anthony Fauci - the former Chief Medical Advisor to the President Of The United States. The evening brought together figures from the arts and healthcare industry at Claridge's in London, with Dame Judi taking part to help raise money for the cause The Gavin and Stacey creator, 46, said: 'Tonight is the one night that Hollywood and science come together, other than of course, that one magical evening where Dr. Fauci had a one night stand with Dame Judi Dench.' Cameras panned to Olivia Wilde, who once dated Harry Styles, and she raised her eyebrows. The joke was not met warmly by the rest of the audience with many not laughing. The crowd was made up of figures from science, mathematics, and fundamental physics, along with Hollywood A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Lizzo, and Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot. In the final broadcast it featured James saying: 'Tonight is the one night that Hollywood and science come together' but cuts the Dame Judi comment, as James continues 'And Hollywood has come out tonight.' Dame Judi was not present at the awards earlier this month which was held in a space aircraft hanger and recognised winners for their scientific achievements with leading futures from the entertainment, sports, technology and business.
Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
New MI6 boss will be a woman — and ‘Beijing Barbara' is frontrunner
A woman is to take charge of MI6 for the first time in the history of the Secret Intelligence Service, many years after Dame Judi Dench became James Bond's boss on film. Interviews for the post took place last week and the final three candidates were all women — two of them MI6 officers. The MI6 chief, Sir Richard Moore, is due to stand down in the autumn after five years in charge. However, the appointment is controversial because critics say the runaway favourite for the job is too sympathetic to China and is understood to have no previous intelligence experience at a time when Beijing has launched aggressive spying operations in the UK. • Andrew's aide must release letter to suspected Chinese spy Dame
