Samuel West was visibly emotional as he opened up about the loss of his beloved mother, Prunella Scales, and their final heartbreaking conversation before her death. In an emotional moment shared with Adrian Edmondson during their Sam & Ade Go Birding series, Samuel recalled the poignant details of his mother’s passing and how he has been coping with the grief.
Prunella Scales, best known for her role as Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers, died at 93 in October following a long battle with dementia. Her death came just a year after her husband, Timothy West, passed away. Samuel, 59, and his brother Joseph paid tribute to their “darling mother” in a statement following her death.
In the episode, filmed last October, Samuel reflected on the deep sadness of losing his mother, sharing his emotions as they went on a birdwatching adventure. “Since we last met, my mum died… last week, one day after what would have been her 62nd wedding anniversary,” Samuel said. “We went down to Shaftesbury Avenue to see the theatre dim their lights for her, which is something that would have astonished and delighted her, but it really floored me.”
Samuel continued, recalling one of his last clear conversations with Prunella, which took place when she was 91. “She said, ‘How old am I?’ and I said, ‘You’re 91, ma,’ and she responded, ’91?’” Samuel laughed, describing her response as “beautifully timed and enunciated.”
He went on to share how, despite her deteriorating health, Prunella still managed to engage in conversations, including with Queen Camilla in 2024. However, her ability to communicate had significantly declined in her later years, and Samuel felt the pain of not being able to converse with her as they once had.
