Dames For A Laugh!

An insightful documentary sees a quartet of our finest stars trade stories of their stellar careers and long-standing friendship…

- Caren Clark

Just what do you call a group of theatrical dames?

A glitter? A sparkle? There’s plenty of twinkling going on in BBC2’s hilarious documentary Nothing Like a Dame, which sees veteran actresses Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Maggie Smith recall their dazzling careers and unique friendship.

Here, they share their memories, inspirations and the secrets behind their staying power…

DAME MAGGIE SMITH

The Downton Abbey and Harry Potter star won the first of her two oscars in 1969 for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and was made a dame in 1990.

‘Jude’s always asked first. She gets all the parts,’ jokes maggie, 83. ‘She phoned me when I became a dame and said, “It doesn’t make any difference, you can still swear!” I was just so thrilled that my father was alive when I was made a dame because it’s really for other people who’ve got you where you are.’