Sir Ian McKellen made a triumphant return to the stage on Saturday night, delighting audiences with a surprise appearance in Robin Hood at the London Palladium.
The 85-year-old theatre legend took to the boards for the first time since suffering serious injuries from falling off stage during a West End performance in June.
Making his Palladium debut, the acclaimed actor appeared as King Richard in the star-studded pantomime, marking a significant comeback after months of recovery from his accident.
Comedian Julian Clary, who is starring as Robin Hood, announced: “And now please welcome to the stage King Richard, and he looks a lot like Sir Ian McKellen…”
“Hello, this is my debut at the London Palladium! And like you all I too love panto,” McKellen told the excited crowd.
The veteran actor made a grand entrance, arriving on a sparkly decorated pink and blue cart while wearing flowing velvet robes adorned with faux fur and gold embellishments, topped with a bejewelled crown.
McKellen made his first stage appearance on Saturday
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McKellen playfully bantered with his co-stars, telling Clary: “I can’t take it as low as you Julian as I am an actor!”
He then teased fellow performer Nigel Havers: “Remember real acting Nigel. Look, watch and listen.”
Switching back to character, the 85-year-old held his prop sword aloft and was wheeled offstage to the thunderous reception of the audience.
McKellen’s horror accident occurred during a performance of Player King at the Noel Coward Theatre in June, when the veteran actor lost his footing during a fight scene.
The legendary actor fell earlier this year during a performance of Player King
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The actor told the BBC that he then slid on scattered newspapers across the stage as if he were on a “skateboard”.
The more McKellen’s tried to stop himself, the faster he slid.
“Down to the forestage, and then off the stage which was a 3ft drop – partly broken by a member of the audience on the front row,” he recalled.
McKellen added: “I started screaming, ‘Help me!’ and then ‘I’m sorry! I don’t do this!'”
“I think I’m fine. It was a nasty fall. And it was a shock, initially. But I fractured my wrist. It’s what every kid does when he falls off his bike. And chipped a vertebrae,” the 85-year-old revealed.
McKellen believes he was spared further injury as “I was wearing a fat suit because I was playing a big fat man. That broke the fall!”
Despite his good humour about the incident, the serious injuries he suffered have left the two-time Oscar winner worried about going out for fear that: “Someone bangs into me.”
Fans were overjoyed to see the beloved actor again
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Speaking to the Big Issue, he admitted: “Of course, it’s emotional. We all trip all our lives, it’s just when you get to my age you can’t always get up again.”
“What a show with an appearance by Sir Ian McKellen. Simply iconic!” wrote one enthusiast.
Another audience member shared: “I was there this afternoon and when they said Ian McKellen I let out an involuntary ‘F*****g hell!’ And to hear ‘You shall not pass’ for real was a proper goose bumps moment.”
