Fawlty Towers Actress Prunella Scales Dies Age 93

Prunella Scales, the beloved British actress best known as Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, died aged 93, her sons Samuel and Joseph West said, adding she passed away peacefully at her London home. She had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2013–2014, which ended her nearly 70-year career, and her family said she was watching Fawlty Towers the day before she died. Scales's career spanned stage, film and television — from early film roles in Pride and Prejudice and Hobson’s Choice to appearances in Howards End — and she also co-presented Great Canal Journeys; Fawlty Towers' 12 episodes remain a defining work. Colleagues including John Cleese led tributes praising her comic skill, and charities thanked her for raising awareness about dementia. She was married to actor Timothy West for 61 years; he predeceased her in November 2024, and she is survived by two sons, a stepdaughter, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Her family thanked those who provided care, saying her last days were comfortable and surrounded by love.