The TV show Judi Dench “dotes” on and refuses to miss an episode of

Posted On September 13, 2025September 13, 2025

You don’t mess with Dame Judi Dench until you want to be stared into a puddle.

The formidable actor is one of the finest performers in the history of both cinema and the stage, racking up awards and praise like they were bonus points at a supermarket. She won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love, a Tony for Amy’s View, and more Baftas than you’ve had hot dinners. When it comes to British acting talent, she is the beginning, middle, and Dame.

In terms of television, her output has mostly been limited to adaptations of famous plays. She has appeared in several televised versions of plays by William Shakespeare, whom she refers to as ‘the man who pays the rent’, why Graham Norton called her a “Shakesphere jukebox”. Her most prominent small-screen role was in Cranford, the mini-series that earned her an Emmy shout. In terms of what she watches on the telly, she hasn’t got time for acclaimed dramas or hilarious sitcoms; she’s too busy jogging her memory with quizzing.

In an interview with The Telegraph, the esteemed actor revealed that she is a massive fan of University Challenge. She admitted that she “dotes” on the programme and that, if she misses an episode, she is “put in a terrible bait for the rest of the week”. Somebody needs to tell her about iPlayer, it’ll change her life.

University Challenge is one of the oldest TV shows in British history. First airing in 1962, the show pits two teams of students representing their respective schools against one another in a battle of knowledge. The questions are known for being exceptionally hard by most people’s standards, but mostly present little issue for the swotted-up super-geeks the show attracts. A number of famous people have also tried their hand at the tournament in their younger days, including Miriam Margolyes or Professor Sprout for the Potterverse inclined, and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.

Dench didn’t attend a conventional university, instead choosing to sharpen herself at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. While she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Nottingham Trent University in 2010, that particular institution has never appeared on the show, but the more spelt out University of Nottingham did reach the semi-finals in 1998.

This conversation came about when the Dame was asked about some possible contenders to play James Bond. The veteran star, who appeared as M in seven James Bond films (eight if you count a cameo in Spectre), was very keen to praise Idris Elba, whose name has long been linked with the superspy. When asked about Richard Madden, however, she professed to have no idea who he was. Even after the interviewer informed her that he was in The Bodyguard, a BBC drama, Dench revealed that she didn’t watch a lot of TV, and that was the end of that.

Between this and her love of Jeopardy!, Dame Judi is clearly a massive quiz show fan. Whether this is because she fancies herself a brainbox or just enjoys seeing other people get it majorly wrong on national television, there’s something about the format that clearly appeals to her. Somebody needs to book her on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year or The Chase for a showdown with ‘The Governess’; it would be a real sight for sore eyes. 

Related Topics