West End Theatre to be renamed in tribute to Dame Judi Dench
Dame Judi Dench said she was "truly overwhelmed" by the honour
A theatre in the heart of London's West End is to be renamed after Dame Judi Dench next year.
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The Shaftesbury Theatre will be renamed the Judi Dench Theatre in recognition of the Dame's "extraordinary talent and extensive contribution" to the performing arts.
Dame Judi Dench said she was "truly overwhelmed" by the tribute.
The actress, 91, made her professional stage debut more than 70 years ago and has won a trove of gongs including an Academy Award and seven Laurence Olivier Awards.
The renaming will take place next February, and will make the Shaftesbury the first theatre to be named after an actress.
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Dame Judi's links to the theatre stretch back many decades, when she helped found the Theatre of Comedy group which staged productions there in the 1980s and 90s.
She is also a close friend of the Taffner family who own the theatre and has worked with them on their production company.
The actress said of the honour: "My relationship to the Theatre of Comedy and to the Taffner family goes back many years and to have this beautiful theatre renamed after me is truly overwhelming.
"Live theatre continues to be so important as a way of telling stories and entertaining audiences, something I have aimed to do all my working life."
Chief executive of the theatre Eleanor Lang said: "We don't celebrate brilliant women enough in our West End theatre names, so we are delighted that her name will be forever in lights above our doorway."
Theatre chairman Donald Taffner Jnr said: "We have such fond memories of Judi at the Shaftesbury.
"We are therefore delighted to recognise her extraordinary talent and extensive contribution to many in the renaming of our theatre."