Judi Dench, 91, says she 'loathes' being called a national treasure as she reveals she has no plans to retire and wants to 'die in her dressing room after a performance'

She is one of the most legendary British actresses. However Dame Judi Dench has revealed she 'loathes' being called a national treasure. 

The Academy-award winner, 91, has an incredible career portfolio, both on screen and off-screen with her theatre work. 

And with no plans to slow down, despite her Age-related Macular Degeneration diagnosis, the star confessed she hates the complimentary term national treasure. 

She said: '[I] Loathe it. Makes me sound like a dusty old relic that’s been stuffed away in the back of the cupboard, along with some dinosaur fossils and a broken Roman shield.'

Judi also has no plans to stop taking on new work and said she hates being constantly asked when she will retire and hopes to die in her dressing room after a performance. 

'“Retire”, “vintage”, “old” — let’s banish those words. I want to be like Newton Blick, who died in his dressing room after a performance. I want to be one of those women who throw themselves out of planes when they’re 100.'

Judi was diagnosed with AMD back in 2012 which can cause permanent and rapid central vision loss, and is the number one cause of vision loss in people over 50.

Explaining how she isn't going to let her diagnosis prevent her from working she told The Times that she copes with the condition in the same way her mother did, 'by relying on other people and pretending she hadn’t got it. I’m quite good at acting as if I can see.'

The star also revealed she has had to find a different way to learn her lines as she can no longer read the scripts. 

However with the help of her friends and more time to prepare she added she is able to 'somehow muddle through'.

Last December Judi shared her fears she 'will lose the plot' due to her deteriorating eyesight and short-term memory loss.

The legendary actress spoke frankly about her health and her former friendship with disgraced American producer Harvey Weinstein in a wide-ranging interview with the Radio Times.

Judi admitted she can no longer see the television and has to rely upon her team of assistants to help her with day-to-day tasks.

'It's a crusher,' said Judi, after revealing both her eyes are beyond treatment as they are in the progressed 'wet' stage of AMD.

'I miss seeing Clive Myrie doing Mastermind, but I can hear the questions,' Dame Judi added, when asked about what she missed.

The actress had to give up driving, embroidery and even going out alone.

Despite these challenges, Judi continues to work by having friends and colleagues read her scripts aloud, which she then learns using her photographic memory.

And the actress admitted while she can reel off reams of Shakespeare's soliloquys, she 'can’t remember what I’m doing tomorrow, I swear to you'. When asked if she fears she will 'lose the plot', she answered: 'Oh yes'.

Dame Judi then asked the interviewer to consult her assistants, who confirmed they help run her life.

In May it was also revealed that Judi is using high-tech spectacles featuring artificial intelligence to aid her job. 

The Mail On Sunday reveals she sports a pair of £300 RayBan Meta glasses after being told of the new technology by the vision loss charity Sight for Surrey, of which she is the patron.

The glasses feature a camera which can read the words on a script and convert the text to speech. The glasses then discreetly play an audio feed which can only be heard by her.

The technology could even enable her to continue working, without the need for an assistant.

A source said: 'Dame Judi has been working with the charity for a while. They are brilliant and have been working on state-of-the-art equipment to help people struggling with their sight.

'That's how she learned of the glasses... [they] are the perfect tool for Dame Judi. She clearly doesn't want to give up work, and because of these glasses she doesn't have to.'