Birthday Tributes For Dame Judi
by Entertainment Editor, The Evening Standard (London)
December 9, 2001
Dame Judi Dench was today celebrating the "perfect birthday present" - the award of a Bafta Academy Fellowship. The Oscar-winning actress, who turned 67 today, was presented with the accolade in recognition of her outstanding contribution to film, television and the theatre throughout her long and varied career. She received the honour - the highest awarded by Bafta - at a star-studded tribute at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, which will be shown on BBC1 in January.
Among those taking part were Jeremy Irons, Sinead Cusack, Pierce Brosnan, Billy Connolly, Sir John Mills and Dame Maggie Smith. Ms Dench's daughter Finty Williams, Joseph Fiennes, Stephen Fry and Samantha Bond were also at the tribute, which ended with a party at the Waldorf Hotel. Speaking afterwards, Dame Judi said: "It's one hell of a way to spend a birthday. In many ways it was the perfect birthday present."