Prunella Scales, beloved actress of Fawlty Towers, dies aged 93

28 October 2025

The world of television comedy has lost one of its brightest stars. British actress Prunella Scales, best known for her role as the indomitable Sybil Fawlty in the beloved sitcom Fawlty Towers, has died peacefully at her home in London on October 27 2025 at the age of 93, her sons Samuel and Joseph West announced.

Born Prunella Margaret Rumney Illingworth on June 22 1932 in Surrey, England, Scales began her acting career at the Bristol Old Vic in 1951, eventually making her mark on stage, film and television. In a career that spanned nearly seven decades, she built a reputation for versatility, depth and sharp comedic timing.

Her most iconic role came in 1975 when she starred opposite John Cleese in Fawlty Towers, playing Sybil, the acutely perceptive, ever-striving hotelier’s wife. Though the series ran for only 12 episodes over two seasons (1975 and 1979), its impact was lasting: in a 2000 poll by the British Film Institute it was named the number-one British television programme of all time.

Scales did not stop at comedy. She earned a BAFTA nomination for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the Alan Bennett television play A Question of Attribution (1991) and appeared in distinguished films such as Howards End (1992) and Wolf (1994). In recognition of her contribution to drama, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1992.

In her later years, Scales publicly shared her life with vascular dementia, which was diagnosed in 2013. Together with her husband of 61 years, actor Timothy West (who passed away in 2024), she co-presented the Channel 4 documentary series Great Canal Journeys from 2014 to 2019, offering intimate insight into their lives and her illness.

Her death is especially poignant for many because, according to the family statement, she watched an episode of Fawlty Towers the day before she died a final nod to the role that had defined so much of her legacy.

Her sons described her last days as “comfortable, contented and surrounded by love,” and extended thanks to those who cared for her in her final phase. Scales is survived by two sons, a step-daughter, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

While she will forever be celebrated as the sharp-witted, commanding Sybil Fawlty, her legacy extends far beyond one character. She was a consummate performer who blended humour with humanity, who found nuance in comedy, and who remained a working actress and presence in British culture for over sixty years.

In the memory of Prunella Scales, audiences are reminded of the power of laughter, the endurance of great performance, and the vital humanity at the heart of the best entertainment.