Fawlty Towers Star Prunella Scales Dies Aged 93, Honored by Fans and Co-Stars

Prunella Scales, best known for her role as Sybil Fawlty in the iconic BBC comedy series Fawlty Towers, died peacefully at home in London at age 93. Her nearly 70-year acting career included notable performances in sitcoms like Marriage Lines and dramatic roles such as Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett's A Question of Attribution, which earned her a BAFTA nomination. Scales had been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2013 but continued to live at home and was watching Fawlty Towers the day before her death. She was married to actor Timothy West for 61 years until his death in November 2024 and is survived by two sons, one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. John Cleese, her co-star, paid tribute to her as a "wonderful comic actress" who was "absolutely perfect" scene after scene and fondly remembered her warmth and sweetness. Tributes have highlighted her significant impact on British comedy and her role as a devoted patron and supporter of theatrical and preservation causes.