Dame Judi Dench: I'd rather be young than old

Dame Judi Dench says there is "nothing good" about getting older.

The 80-year-old actress claims she'd rather be young than wise and tries to always challenge herself by doing new things.

She said: "There's nothing good about being my age. Someone said to me, 'You have such a wealth of knowledge.' I said, 'I'd rather be young and know nothing, actually.' Bugger the wealth of knowledge. I suppose there are good things, but you have to find them. Celebrate the things you can do and also try to do new things. I believe in that tremendously."

Despite being an octogenarian, 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' star admits she can be quite immature around her family.

She told PEOPLE magazine: "I've always been quite happy. I love being with my family and playing games. We don't behave in grown-up ways at all."

Dench recently admitted she can no longer travel alone because her eyesight is so bad due to the condition macular degeneration but she is refusing to let the ailment limit her life.

She said: "I don't think I'm slowing down. I'm not prepared to stop doing things. If I can't do one thing, then I'll have a go at another.

"My eyes only affect me if I'm somewhere dark and there are steps and I don't see very well. I couldn't go on the train now without somebody."

But the actress admits she has had to make adjustments when it comes to acting and being creative.

She said: "I have all my scripts blown up. If six of us were coming in to read a sonnet, they'd all have one piece of paper and I'd have two or three. Or I have people read things to me - but then I've always been like that. I've never been very good at reading a play; I've only ever been going at being told a story.

"I paint a lot, and I find it very difficult because if I look at something and then I look back at [the canvas], my eyes don't adjust quickly enough to transfer that. Then I thought, 'That's what painting is about. Don't translate it literally, translate it the only way you can.' "