Prunella Scales on her marriage to Timothy West, Fawlty Towers and why TV sitcoms were her “least favourite form of work”

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This interview first appeared in January 1995 as part of publicity for the BBC Two series, Signs and Wonders.

As she entered the River Restaurant at the Savoy, she seemed nervous. It was a far cry from the proud and sometimes critical characters she’s famous for – like the Queen in Single Spies and Sybil from Fawlty Towers, a role people still remember fondly after two decades. And there’s no reason she should be displaying those traits now. She’s played countless roles – including a distressed mother in the four-part thriller Signs and Wonders, where her daughter is drawn into a manipulative cult – and remains one of Britain’s most talented and popular actresses.

She admits with a gentle smile that character actresses aren’t typically known for their beauty. She and her husband, fellow actor Timothy West, often feel a pang of envy for their son, Sam, who is also an actor. He’ll never have to worry about losing a role simply because of his appearance, something they’ve both experienced. It’s a bit of an ego blow, she concedes, but you get used to it. Recalling a line from Thornton Wilder, she remembers a mother telling her daughter, ‘Stop that. You’re quite pretty enough for all normal purposes.’ And she feels that applies to her too – she’s perfectly content with how she looks.

She took a sip of champagne but seemed uncomfortable, wondering if it would make everyone talk too much by dessert. “I hope it does,” I responded. She was thoughtful and quiet, but occasionally burst into laughter, which completely brightened her face. “I’m really scared of everyone. Well, a little bit,” she admitted. “Most actors I know are actually quite insecure. We value being open and honest more than appearing confident.”

Of course not, considering how successful her career has been! She dismisses the idea immediately, saying, “That’s nonsense.” She explains that success isn’t guaranteed, and a lot comes down to luck. She and her partner, Tim, have been fortunate, but they’ve also faced setbacks – failed projects, missed roles, and times when they struggled financially and were unemployed.

Both Tim and Prunella come from families involved in acting. Tim’s parents were both actors, and Prunella’s mother was an actress who stopped working when she got married, believing it was best for raising children. Prunella’s father was a kind cotton salesman who happily allowed his daughter to be named after a play her mother was performing in – a play where she also met the man she fell in love with. They were an unusual family, living a simple life in a rented farmhouse in Surrey without modern conveniences like running water or electricity, but in a charmingly British way.

She has a strong belief in hard work – or perhaps simply good judgment – and feels guilty about even small indulgences like watching morning television or reading before lunchtime. She constantly keeps her hands busy with crocheting to avoid having free time. Despite serving on the actors’ union council for two years, she downplays her political views, believing that actors risk damaging their careers by speaking out. She worries that being labeled as too radical could undermine her ability to advocate for causes she cares about, as a controversial reputation can invalidate anyone’s opinion.

It really gets to me when people use the word ‘luvvie’ to describe actors. Honestly, you never hear professionals using that term amongst themselves. It’s something the newspapers made up, a way to dismiss genuine talent and, I think, something they fear. It’s especially disappointing to see it in a publication like The Guardian, because I’d expect them to understand. It’s just not a real thing! We don’t have ‘luvvies’ in this profession.

I think we should discuss the Queen. She remembers performing at the Royal National Theatre, looking out over the Thames. It was a special occasion – the first time a reigning monarch had been depicted in a play. She recalls a palpable energy when she first appeared on stage, noting that the audience reaction wasn’t about a resemblance, but rather a playful sense of audacity. She describes it as a welcome, bold challenge to tradition.

I received a kind letter from someone claiming to be her detective, who said he almost stood up and revealed the trick. That was a really lovely compliment! I didn’t like performing the illusion on TV, though. It was wonderful being allowed to use a corgi, even if the dog was a bit of a diva – having a real one on stage would have been too costly. Because the Queen is often on television, people were used to seeing her, and it quickly became clear in close-up that it wasn’t actually Her Majesty. It was Patricia Scales in a wig, and it didn’t go as planned. I felt terrible about it. It’s probably just actor’s insecurity, or, as Tim puts it, being overly sensitive.

She had bags under her eyes removed in 1978 because she was self-conscious about them. While they’re still noticeable, she feels the procedure was worthwhile and affordable. She wasn’t necessarily trying to look better, but rather to prevent viewers from focusing on her age during performances. It helped avoid distracting the audience with questions about how old she was.

She’s comfortable with people knowing her age, but prefers not to have it pointed out, so I won’t mention it—though someone determined to focus on age could probably figure it out anyway. She explains she’s never hidden her age, but feels it’s unimportant. She performs a one-woman show as Queen Victoria and would stop if audiences reacted negatively to her portraying the queen as a young woman. She believes audiences enjoy using their imagination, and she doesn’t want them distracted by her appearance. She thinks how someone looks is the least interesting thing about them.

Earlier this year, she made her first appearance in a Hollywood movie, ‘Wolf,’ alongside Jack Nicholson, which she really enjoyed. She initially wasn’t interested in Hollywood – it felt very distant from her aspirations as an actress, which focused on stage plays and radio. She still loves radio broadcasting, finding it creatively freeing because it allows for limitless imagination and can even be enjoyed while doing everyday tasks like ironing. For her, acting was always about striving for excellence on stage.

Although most of my income comes from television, I have to admit sitcoms are the type of work I enjoy the least. I actually like doing situation comedy on stage, where the nightly performances allow you to refine your timing and connect with the audience. I prefer long-running shows because I take time to get things right. Filming Fawlty Towers always felt rushed, and I sometimes wonder if I’m still known mostly for that show. I appreciate Fawlty Towers overall, as it created opportunities for me rather than limiting them. I was also very pleased with After Henry and proud of the work we did on it.

I generally can’t stand watching myself on TV, but I always skip ahead to see how my scenes turned out – it’s probably a bit conceited. It’s hard to be objective when you’re watching yourself, honestly. TV tends to make me sleepy, even when I’m in the show, and especially when my husband, Tim, is on. It causes a lot of arguments at home. He claims I was happily watching one of his performances while crocheting, and told him it was ‘jolly good,’ but then immediately forgot I was watching and asked where my glasses were when the next show started with Peter Barkworth on screen.

I try not to be competitive – we both want the best for each other – but I used to feel envious when he got the main roles in plays, and I think he sometimes envied my success and good pay on TV sitcoms. Being married to an actor is challenging, but I honestly couldn’t imagine being married to anyone else. When we were younger and both working, we often playfully argued over who deserved more attention and support. And I always got my way!

I said to her, and she playfully glared before dramatically replying, “No!” She explained that after her two sons were born – Joseph, who’s now 25 and training to be a teacher, being the younger one – she didn’t want to go back to work, but her husband encouraged her, and she’s thankful he did. It was difficult at the time, but she believes it made her a better mother. They spent almost all their money bringing their children with them on tour. She felt it was her responsibility to showcase the babies in each new town, often at six o’clock on a Sunday evening, hoping the local paper would take a photo and attract an audience to their shows. She admitted it wasn’t something she enjoyed, but understood that even the best performance doesn’t matter if no one knows about it or where to see it.

I don’t think getting attention from the media helps your work at all. I prefer not to call it a ‘career’ – that word doesn’t feel right. Acting is simply a job, a way of making a living.

Prunella Scales married Timothy West in 1963 at the age of 30, much to her mother’s relief (‘She thought I’d end up unmarried,’ Prunella recalls). They’ve lived in the same home near Wandsworth Common for 26 years and also share a 60-foot narrowboat, where she enjoys relaxing, though she occasionally finds herself in amusingly awkward situations.

I was wandering along the river and popped into a pub for a bite to eat. I probably looked a bit of a mess – I was wearing trousers and a sweater, trying to be comfortable. The music they had playing was dreadful, some awful piped stuff. So, feeling a bit cheeky, I walked up to the bar and, addressing this really lovely blonde bartender, I asked her, well, let’s just say I made a rather forward proposition. She was completely taken aback and asked me to repeat myself. I did, using slightly different wording, but still implying the same thing. There was this awkward silence, and then she finally realized I was actually asking about turning off the music! It was a hilarious misunderstanding, honestly.

Next month, she’ll be back living on her boat while she directs Tim in Alan Bennett’s play, Getting On, at the Quarry Theatre in Leeds. She hasn’t directed him since 1982, when they performed Uncle Vanya in Perth – a surprisingly enjoyable experience. She finds directing rewarding, explaining it makes her a better actor because she understands the challenges involved. She questions why anyone would be surprised to see an actor become a good director, pointing out they work with many directors and quickly learn what doesn’t work.

She doesn’t seem to care much about money. She explains that becoming an actress wasn’t about getting wealthy, just about being able to cover her expenses. She used to dream of being able to afford a taxi, and now that she can, she feels perfectly content. She doesn’t understand the appeal of fame, finding the lack of privacy – like being recognized in a store looking messy or having her children bothered – unpleasant.

She enjoyed some cheese with her wine, then checked the time. Saying “Oh dear, I really must go,” she left through the bustling dining room, continuing to eat a small piece of brie. She seemed happy, dependable, and even a little bit like royalty.

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2025-10-28 15:16