Timothy West's 60 year love story with Fawlty Towers star Prunella Scales amid dementia battle

Timothy West and Prunella Scales' romance was one of the strongest in the industry.

The loved-up pair married in 1966 and welcomed sons Samuel West and Joseph and their daughter Juliet as their relationship continued to blossom, even in Timothy's final years as he became Prunella's carer. Although Timothy was 90 and Prunella 92, the pair continued with their passion for entertaining others.

Fawlty Towers star Prunella is best known for her role in the sitcom as well as theatre productions such as An Evening with Queen Victoria, Emma and Shakespeare plays. Meanwhile, Timothy appeared in Dad's Army, Coronation Street, Gentleman Jack and EastEnders. Speaking previously, Prunella explained that if she and her husband were out of work they became "very depressed".

But it was their marriage which was their proudest achievement. Speaking to The Times, she said: "I think I'm a very lucky lady. I'm married to a very interesting person and I love him very much and I'm interested in him. So it's not a problem. If I had an unhappy marriage and was married to somebody I didn't get on with, I'd be a different person."

While it's not known when they met, it's believed it was around the time Prunella appeared as Kate Starling in the BBC sitcom Marriage Lines. In 1963, they had a very lowkey wedding at Chelsea Registry Office, with Prunella choosing a tailored coat, black gloves and black heels – rather than a white wedding dress. She completed her look with a fur hat.

Despite Prunella being diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014 and keeping her health private, she spoke in an interview explaining her memory is "less good" and often tended to forget things. "I forget to do things and, that's age, the same as everybody else," she said.

In October of this year, their son Samuel explained that Prunella had recently enjoyed a cruise although he was "not sure" if she knew where she was going – although she did enjoy the journey. Despite her diagnosis in 2014, Timothy actually noticed symptoms 13 years prior to this after going to see his wife on the opening night of a theatre production.

Despite his concerns, the show went ahead with no faults and the former EastEnders actor said he just thought Prunella was "a bit strange" and "not totally with it". The late Not Going Out actor shed light on their future and Prunella's condition in a rare interview last year, where he admitted it "isn't going to get better."

"It hasn't really been hard work has it?," he told BBC Breakfast, before his wife added: "No, he is the person I love and I enjoy being with..." to which he quipped: "That is about it I think!" Discussing first noticing his wife's deterioration, he said: "I came to see a play that Pru was doing in Greenwich.

"I went to see the first night and it was good, much enjoyed by the audience and then I went to see it again and I thought 'She's not totally with it'. We went to see a specialist and he said I am sorry this is just something that happens to you when you get older. It is not going to get any easier but we cope with it and we manage."

However, the Bradford-born icon stated their relationship hadn't changed since the diagnosis, with Prunella later confirming: "I have got to know him better and better and better." Timothy added: "I know that things are going to change a little bit, but it has been a long time and we have managed pretty well really. I don't think we ever think 'Oh no'."

The actress added: "I have been asked to live the rest of my life with somebody I respect very much and agree with a lot of things and argue with about a lot of things quite happily." Timothy stated that the pair "somehow coped" with the news although Prunella often doesn't think about her condition.

But during an episode of Piers Morgan's Life Stories, Timothy revealed he struggled to communicate properly with his wife. "When we've been to a concert, or a play, or a film, there's nothing very much we can say about it afterwards because Pru will have a fairly hazy memory," he said. "She'd have enjoyed her evening and she'll perhaps talk about the acting, but she's not able to cope with talking about what the play was saying."

However, the couple refused to dwell on this, with him explaining: "Well, the sad thing is that you just watch the gradual disappearance of the person that you knew and loved and were very close to. There's a lot of her left, and we still enjoy life and there are a lot of things that Pru is able to enjoy and we're able to do together. If you live from day to day it's manageable. It's when you start thinking of the past and thinking, 'Oh what a shame she can't do that anymore, she doesn't appreciate that anymore and we can't talk about this anymore', then it's sad."

It was announced on Wednesday that Timothy had died surrounded by his loved ones. His children Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West said in a statement issued by his agent: "After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old.

"Tim was with friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly. We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George's Hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days."

As the news of Timothy's death broke, many rushed to pay tribute to the late star on social media. In the replies to Timothy's son Sam's announcement on Twitter (X), Strictly Come Dancing star Richard Coles told the grieving actor: "Dearest Sam, my condolences to you and yours xxx."

"The incomparable Timothy West has passed away. What a loss but what a life," one mourning fan penned as another shared: "I only had the privilege to meet Timothy West once, about twenty years ago at a literary festival event and he was very kind to a small boy who wanted to act. Charm personified, he truly was an incredible actor and human being who will be sorely missed."

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