Dame Judi Dench lost her voice for two days after being scared by a snake

Speaking in new BBC Radio 4 documentary 'Roleplay', Judi revealed her late husband Michael Williams - who died in 2001 - came up with a way to ease her fears.

She explained: "I came home and told Michael about the snakes. He said, 'Jude, you know what you should do. Give them names.'

"We came up with Wilson, Keppel and Betty. They were a well-known vaudeville act from the mid- 20th century, noted for their ancient Egyptian 'sand dance'."

Judi got up close to the creatures on stage as her character Cleopatra takes her own life using a poisonous snake.

The production used harmless garter snakes, but Judi was left distraught after one of them found its way into her wig when she was being carried off stage after her death scene and the snake reemerged during the cast's curtain call.

She explained: "One night, the boys taking me [carrying me] kept hissing. I was wondering what on earth was going on.

"Then, back on stage at the very end of the play, the snake fell out of my wig as I did my bow. I was so scared I lost my voice for two days."

Other productions of the play have also used live snakes on stage - and warned audience members who might be scared of them.

Judi has previously insisted people who need a trigger warning should stay away from the theatre.

The actress has hit out at the growing trend of pre-show alerts being read out before live shows to prepare sensitive people for scenes of violence, abuse, bereavement, loud noises and habits like smoking.

Asked about such warnings, she told the Radio Times magazine: "My God, it must be a pretty long trigger warning before 'King Lear' or 'Titus Andronicus'.

"I can see why they exist, but if you're that sensitive, don't go to the theatre, because you could be very shocked.

"Where is the surprise of seeing and understanding it in your own way?"