Dame Sheila Hancock has expressed her belief that Jesus would have been "cancelled" if he were alive today.

In an interview with The Telegraph ahead of the airing of her episode on My Life at Christmas with Anita Rani, the legendary actress shared her thoughts on faith and contemporary cancel culture.

The episode, which will explore Hancock's Quaker beliefs, her festive memories, and the personal experience of losing two husbands to cancer, airs on Sunday 1st December.

The 91-year-old revealed her evolving spiritual journey, noting that she no longer identifies with Catholicism.

"The Catholicism is gone. I don’t believe in that at all," she shared. Instead, Hancock values the "prayerful silence" of Quakerism, a practice that contrasts with the rituals of Catholicism like the sacrament.

While Hancock maintains a deep respect for Jesus, she believes that his outspoken nature would not have allowed him to survive in today’s world.

"Christ wouldn’t have lasted a minute because he said exactly what he thought, he’d have been cancelled," she stated.

She went on to emphasise the importance of speaking one's truth, regardless of the consequences.

“I do believe, with all my heart, that you’ve got to say what you believe and take the risk of getting into trouble."

However, she acknowledged that it’s easier for her to take this stance now, as she no longer feels the pressures of a career to maintain.

"I’m gonna be gone soon," she added.

Hancock, who has been outspoken on various topics throughout her career, also expressed indifference toward the notion of cancel culture.

"I’m shortly going to be cancelled by death anyway," she remarked.

"If I say something outrageous and I’m cancelled, I’m shortly going to be cancelled by death anyway. It gives me a sort of ‘oh dear, I don’t care, because I’m going’."