The Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End is to be renamed after the actress Dame Judi Dench, to celebrate her "unparalleled contribution" to British theatre and the performing arts.

The renaming of the venue will also honour Dame Judi's long-standing links with the theatre, bosses said.

The star was a founding member of the Theatre of Comedy, a collective that staged productions there in the 1980s and 90s. She went on to collaborate closely with the theatre's owners - the Taffner family - and their production company.

Dame Judi said the Shaftesbury Theatre had always held a "special place" in her heart, adding that the honour was "truly overwhelming".

Dame Judi is regarded as one of the most accomplished stage, musical theatre and television actresses of her generation, with a career spanning seven decades.

Following several years producing and starring in Comedy of Theatre productions, she starred the BBC TV comedy As Time Goes By, which ran for nine series, and was produced by the Taffner's production company.

The renaming - which will take place in February next year - will mark the first West End theatre to be named after an actress.

Dame Judi added: "My relationship to the Theatre of Comedy and to the Taffner family goes back many years and to have this beautiful theatre renamed after me is truly overwhelming.

"Live theatre continues to be so important as a way of telling stories and entertaining audiences, something I have aimed to do all my working life."

The theatre's chairman Donald Taffner Jnr said: "We have such fond memories of Judi at the Shaftesbury.

"We are therefore delighted to recognise her extraordinary talent and extensive contribution to many in the renaming of our theatre."

Chief executive Eleanor Lang said: "We don't celebrate brilliant women enough in our West End theatre names, so we are delighted that her name will be forever in lights above our doorway."