Dame Judi Dench drove without a licence for 30 years before finally passing her driving test

Dame Judi Dench drove without a licence for 30 years.

The 91-year-old actress used to get behind the wheel of a sports car, even though she only had a provisional licence - which is used by learner drivers while under supervision - and even after she had to go to court after being stopped by police, she still continued to drive for many years afterwards without having taken a test.

In an extract shared by The Times magazine from her memoir Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?, which she has written with Brendan O'Hea, Judi admitted: "[I drove] in my black open-top MG sports car with red seats. I really loved that car. It had a retractable roof, which wouldn’t close, and so I always drove round with a couple of handy sou’westers in the glove compartment in case it rained. And then I got caught going round Parliament Square.

"The policeman asked me if I had a licence and I said, 'I have a provisional licence.'

"So he said, 'Right, I’m going to put you down for not having a proper licence. And also no L-plates and a broken sidelight.'

"I think I was called to appear at Bow Street magistrates’ court — it was as serious as that. Anyway, I tried my luck and I wrote a letter. 'Dear Sir,' I said, 'on such-and-such a date I was stopped by the police and accused of not having L-plates. I did have L-plates — they were adhesive, but you know what the weather’s been like these days, my lord.' I actually wrote that. I was still fined £2, which was a lot of money back then."

When Brendan pointed out she had then driven "another 10 years without a licence", she added: "Don’t be ridiculous. It wasn’t ten; it was 30. I was 50 when I passed my test.

"I’m a good driver, though."