Prunella Scales, the beloved British actress best known for playing Sybil Fawlty in the classic BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers, has died at age 93.
Her sons, Samuel and Joseph West, confirmed to The Post that she passed away “peacefully at home in London” on Monday. Scales had been living with vascular dementia since 2013.
“Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home,” her sons said in a statement. “Her last days were comfortable, contented, and surrounded by love.”
Scales was married to actor Timothy West for more than 60 years until his death in 2024. The couple shared two sons and often worked together, including hosting the travel series Great Canal Journeys.
Born in Surrey, England, on June 22, 1932, Scales began her career as an assistant stage manager before turning to acting. She rose to fame in the 1960s sitcom Marriage Lines and achieved international recognition as the sharp-tongued Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers (1975–1979), opposite John Cleese.
Her other notable credits include After Henry, Mapp & Lucia, The Boys from Brazil, Howards End, and An Awfully Big Adventure. In 1992, she earned a BAFTA nomination for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett’s A Question of Attribution.
Scales is survived by her sons, one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
