Judi Dench has Daniel Craig to thank for one of the most heartbreaking exits in James Bond history, as the actress reveals that the actor apparently suggested killing off her character in Skyfall. After spending nearly two decades as the franchise’s formidable M, Dench has plenty of stories from her time overseeing 007, and her latest recollections come with a healthy dose of British sarcasm. Her departure might have left Bond fans with a lump in their throats, but the actress appears to have found the whole affair rather amusing.

However, after eight Bond films and years of keeping the world’s most famous secret agent in check, Dench has finally shared who might have been behind her character’s rather permanent exit.

Judi Dench reveals Daniel Craig wanted M killed off in Skyfall

In an exclusive excerpt from her memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?, released on November 3, 2026, Dame Judi Dench looks back on her time playing M and the circumstances surrounding her character’s death in Sam Mendes’ Skyfall. 

“Ever since ‘GoldenEye’ … I’d been begging them to let me out from behind my desk. Well, they did finally let me out from behind my desk… and they shot me,” Dench recalled. 

“Apparently, it was Daniel’s idea to have me killed,” she then recalled.

The actress also joked about having to endure the indignity of being dismissed by Ralph Fiennes’ Gareth Mallory before her character’s death, in the excerpt posted by Macmillan Audio on YouTube. Dench dismissed reports that she had cried upon learning she was being replaced, pointing out that she had enjoyed twenty glorious years and eight Bond films.

The 91-year-old actress recalled being taken to the Wolseley restaurant by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, alongside director Mendes, where they explained the storyline. She joked that she had spent years asking to get out from behind M’s desk, only to finally receive her wish in the most unfortunate fashion.

But Dench’s memoir is not simply a farewell to M. It also offers a fascinating look at how she watched the Bond franchise reinvent itself through different leading men, each bringing a new flavour to the iconic spy.

Judi Dench reveals which James Bond actors won her over

In the exclusive excerpt for Is It Too Late to Make a Run For It?, Judy Dench admitted that choosing just one was impossible. 

“ I’ll always have a soft spot for Sean [Connery] because he was the original, but what’s lovely is that both Pierce and Daniel really made it their own,” she shared.

Dench also reflected on how the franchise changed during her eight-film association with it. When she first joined, Bond was the impeccably dressed gentleman who could order a martini, survive a fight and emerge without disturbing his Savile Row suit.

Craig’s interpretation gradually stripped away some of that fantasy, introducing a rougher, more vulnerable spy. Dench acknowledged that the scripts had perhaps lost some of their earlier wit, but recognized that Bond had to evolve with the times. From GoldenEye to Skyfall, Dench gave the franchise a commanding presence that extended far beyond M’s familiar office. Her latest revelations offer another entertaining glimpse into that remarkable chapter. 

What do you think about Daniel Craig reportedly suggesting M’s death? Share your thoughts in the comments.