The actress passed away at the age of 93 on Monday, October 27
Fawlty Towers icon Prunella Scales passed away yesterday (October 27) at the age of 93. The actress had lived with Alzheimer’s disease since being diagnosed in 2013.
Prunella was best known for her role in Fawlty Towers as Sybil Fawlty, the long-suffering wife of Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese. Her death comes less than a year after her husband, actor Timothy West, passed away at the age of 90 on November 12, 2024.
The pair are survived by their three children, Samuel, Joseph and Juliet. A successful acting couple, Timothy and Prunella had remarkable careers spanning over six decades – but they aren’t the only ones in the family with impressive roles under their belts.
Timothy is best known for his memorable roles in ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘EastEnders’, while the couple also won hearts with their joint appearances in ‘Great Canal Journeys’, where they explored Britain’s waterways together.
However, you might not be aware that their son, Samuel West, is also a successful actor. Samuel has carved out a name for himself with standout roles in acclaimed productions such as ‘Suffragette’, ‘Mr Selfridge’, and the much-loved ‘All Creatures Great and Small’.
The 59-year-old actor has not only captivated audiences with his own performances but also continued the legacy of his parents.
Samuel has also featured in long-standing series like ‘Midsomer Murders’, ‘Waking the Dead’ and ‘Poirot’. He’s received nominations for both the BAFTA and Olivier awards for his acting and directing talents, and clinched the London Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for his stage role in ‘Hamlet’.
Samuel has had the pleasure of working alongside both his parents: he appeared with his mum in ‘Howards End’ and ‘Stiff Upper Lips’, and collaborated with his dad in ‘Iris’ and ‘Over Here’.
In an interview referenced by the Express, Samuel shared that he did feel the effect of his parents busy acting schedules whilst growing up. He said: “I did sometimes feel the absence of my parents in my life.” However, he didn’t harbour any blame towards them for their hectic schedules. He added: “They were very busy, and I never blame them for that – they had to go where the work was.”
He continued: “I think that lack, that absence, is something I learned more about and had to find peace with before I was able to settle down.”
Samuel revealed that he had been conducting interviews with both his parents about their experiences before his father’s passing, intending to write a book on their lives. Back in 2015, Timothy told The Independent about the heartbreak of watching his wife’s decline due to Alzheimer’s, stating: “The sad thing is that you just watch the gradual disappearance of the person you knew and loved and were very close to, if you live day to day it is manageable.”
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