DAME JUDI DENCH wants to drop her long-winded title - because she prefers to be called by her first name, according to actor pal KEVIN SPACEY.

The veteran star became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1988, but the regal-sounding prefix makes her cringe.

American Beauty actor Spacey also insists Dench's straight-laced reputation is far from her true character.

He says, "One just has to remove the 'Dame' from Judi's name, and you'll realise that she's hilarious and nothing close to the characters she plays. In fact, she's bored s**tless with that stuff and prefers to just be Judi."
11/04/09 01:34