The Shaftesbury Theatre in London’s West End will be renamed the Judi Dench Theatre. 

The name switch will happen in February 2027 to celebrate the veteran actor and what the Theatre described as her “unparalleled contribution to British theatre and the performing arts.”

Dench was a founding member of the Theatre of Comedy, a collective of actors and authors who had part shares in the Shaftesbury Theatre. The venue is owned by the Taffner family, whose company produced the series As Time Goes By, which ran for nine series on the BBC with Dench leading alongside Geoffrey Palmer.

“The Shaftesbury Theatre has always held a special place in my heart,” Dench said in a statement. “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.” 

She added: “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 Shaftesbury building was first built in 1911 and was originally named New Prince’s Theatre. It is the only London theatre with a dome that opens. In 1962, the theatre was renamed Shaftesbury Theatre. Recent productions at the venue include & Juliet, Mrs Doubtfire and Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical.