'Inspiring' Jay Blades and Judi Dench doc leaves viewers in tears
Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple showed off the touching friendship between the acting legend and the TV presenter, leaving viewers emotional.
What did you miss?
It seems bizarre that Dame Judi Dench and Jay Blades are friends at all, but their inter-generational bond was the centre of Channel 4's charming documentary special Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple. When the credits rolled, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Viewers were charmed by the doc, which took the form of a road trip in which the two stars guided each other to important locations from their lives after explaining the origin of their friendship. Every stop on the tour had real emotional resonance.
What, how and why?
Throughout the documentary, Dench and Blades clearly enjoyed each other's company immensely, with both willing to try out each other's passions — from Shakespeare to record-scratching.
"What you've achieved is just remarkable," said Blades in one of the final scenes, before adding in a piece to camera: "I'm in awe of her, absolutely in awe." Dench gave her own tribute to Blades as well, saying: "I am very uneasy about doing things that haven't been written, but I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Lucky me, I say."
This joyful union between two unlikely pals left viewers impressed. One user explained on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the programme was "just wonderful" and had left them "feeling all warm and teary".
This programme on @Channel4 is just wonderful. Feeling all warm and teary watching @jayblades_ with Dame Judi Dench. #judiandjay
— Little Wonder ???????? (@Little_WonderUK) August 18, 2024
Judi Dench and Jey Blades' show on Channel 4 tonight is an absolute wonderful and inspiring watch, seeing them take their individual trips down memory lane together ??.
— Susan Seddon ????? (@SuzeHopper1) August 18, 2024
"Judi Dench and Jay Blades' show on Channel 4 tonight is an absolute wonderful and inspiring watch, seeing them take their individual trips down memory lane together," wrote another.
One Twitter user added a crying emoji to their comment that: "Whew, this Jay Blades and Judi Dench programme on C4 has got me". Meanwhile, a different viewer wrote that Blades is a "brave man" for triumphing over his adversities, adding: "Well I wasn’t expecting to cry at Judi Dench and Jay Blades."
Another fan explained that the scene in which Blades performed a Hamlet soliloquy at the Old Vic was particularly resonant for them. They said: "Watching Dame Judi and Jay and seeing Jay being so honest with his dyslexia is so inspiring."
What else happened on Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple?
During the course of the documentary, Dench and Blades visited some important landmarks from each of their lives. Blades took Dench to Hackney and the duo visited a fruit and veg market, as well as the youth club where Blades spent a lot of time growing up.
Dench then returned to her old performance venue at The Old Vic, where she and Blades both showed off their Shakespeare skills. She also took Blades to her former home in the Warwickshire village of Charlecote, so they could pay an emotional visit to Dench's late husband's grave.
Dame Judi and Jay: The Odd Couple is available to stream on Channel 4.
