salisburyjournal 11th October 2013 http://www.salisbury..._go_to_theatre/
Dame Judi Dench has said she believes her appearance in the James Bond films have acted as a lure to draw a younger generation to the theatre.
The 78-year-old actress played the head of MI5 and James Bond's boss in seven films, starting in 1995 with Golden Eye opposite Pierce Brosnan, and bowed out of the franchise last year when M was killed off in Skyfall with Daniel Craig as 007.
Dench told the Reader's Digest her 17-year stint was meant to act as "bait" to inspire the Bond audience to become theatre-goers.
"The reaction to Bond comes from lovely young chaps of about 11 and they have no idea what else I've done, and nor should they be bothered," she said.
"But they like to have met somebody who is in Bond and that's wonderful because I think, 'Well, there's an audience who would maybe go into a theatre'.
"It's to bait people for the theatre really. I never want people to not go to the theatre. I want it always to last."