Dame Joanna Lumley has made a moving admission on her 79th birthday, saying she feels she “doesn’t have much time left” after a career spanning more than five decades on screen. 
From a Bond girl in the 1960s to Purdey in The New Avengers during the ’70s, to the iconic, champagne-swigging Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous, Joanna has been a fixture of British television and film for generations. Now, she is preparing to appear in the highly anticipated second season of Netflix’s hit series Wednesday.
Facing Mortality
Speaking to Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2, Joanna reflected candidly on her age and the passing of time. 
“As you near the top of the hill, you suddenly think, ‘Gosh, there’s not all that much time left.’ My time must be coming quite soon, and I don’t want to have wasted a minute on this beautiful planet,” she said.
Joanna admitted she used to panic when she was younger, but now she lives “day to day” and focuses on what truly matters.
“When I was 18, I longed to be 30. When I was 30, I longed to be 50. We mustn’t think getting old is bad. Growing old is good.”
Health Struggles and Face Blindness 
Joanna also opened up about living with prosopagnosia — a rare condition that makes it difficult to recognise even familiar faces, including those of friends and family.
“I’ve got this weird thing with faces — it’s called prosopagnosia,” she explained. “I have to know in advance who’s going to be there so I can match the name to the face. Lots of people think it’s because I meet so many people, but it’s completely different. It’s followed me for years and I never knew what it was.”
She previously joked that she “kisses everybody” because she sometimes can’t tell who she knows.
A Love of Smoking — and No Plans to Slow Down
The actress has also admitted to a long-standing love for smoking, saying she puffs anywhere from one to 40 cigarettes a day and credits it — jokingly — with her robust health.
“I am unbelievably fit. Despite, or probably because of smoking, I am never ill,” she said with a laugh.
Despite health challenges, Joanna has no intention of retiring. Speaking at the SANDS International Film Festival recently, she promised: “I’ll be there as long as I can speak.”
From Model to National Treasure 
After being rejected by drama school in her teens, Joanna became a model in swinging ’60s London before landing small acting roles. Her breakout came in 1969 as a Bond girl in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
It wasn’t until several years later that she truly found fame with The New Avengers. Since then, she’s remained one of Britain’s most beloved and versatile actresses.
Reflecting on her journey, Joanna recalled:
“When I was 16 and told the careers officer at my convent school that I wanted to go into acting, he said the only jobs for me in film would be continuity or make-up girl. In the past, women like me would have been sidelined at 38, but now there are lead parts for people in their 50s — and big roles for those in their 70s.”
