Ian McKellen is on the road to recovery after falling off stage mid-performance in London on Monday 17 June.
The actor (85) was hospitalized after losing his leg during a fight scene in Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre, reports BBC News. The show’s producers told PEOPLE in a statement that it was Lord of the Rings The star has undergone scans and is expected to make a “full recovery” after the fall.
“Thank you to our audience and the general public for their well wishes following Ian’s fall during the Player Kings performance tonight,” the statement began. “After the scan, brilliant NHS [National Health Service] team have assured us that he will make a quick and full recovery and Ian is in good spirits.”
“Production has made the decision to cancel the performance on Tuesday, June 18 so that Ian can rest,” the statement continued. “Those affected will be contacted from the point of purchase as soon as possible tomorrow. Thanks to doctors Rachel and Lee who were in the audience and all the staff for their support.”
McKellen later thanked everyone for the “kind messages and support” after the accident.
“Since the accident, during last night’s Player Kings performance, my injuries have been diagnosed and treated by a range of specialists, specialists and nurses working for the National Health Service,” he said in a statement to Diversity. “Of course, I owe them a lot. They assured me that my recovery will be complete and quick and I look forward to returning to work.”
Ian McKellen says he would repeat his Lord of the Rings The role of Gandalf in the upcoming Gollum The movie “If I were alive”
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Sir Ian McKellen in London on April 21, 2024.
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The theater staff evacuated the audience after the incident, reports BBC News. Media reported that McKellen, who plays John Falstaff in the play, fell from the front of the stage and screamed in pain as crew members rushed to his aid.
Audience member Charlie Johnson told ITV News, “There were strobe lights and then everything went dark, at which point you could see the silhouette of Sir Ian coming out of the wings. And the way the stage works in Noel Coward is a sort of step down right at the moment when the stage meets the audience.”
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“I think what happened was that he put his foot too far, he deviated from that initial step, at which point he lost his balance and almost went headfirst into the audience,” he added. “And in a few seconds blood- a convulsive scream erupted from the actor. He was obviously in a lot of pain, he was screaming ‘Help me’.”
A source told PEOPLE that the English actor was “fine” right after the scare.
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Ian McKellen.
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We hope that the star, who is best known for his role as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings film trilogy and Magneto in the The X-Men films, return to the stage on Wednesday, June 19, with a matinee performance, reports ITV.
McKellen appears in Player Kings — production Henrik IV — since it began its 12-week run in April. The play ends its run in the West End on Saturday, June 22.
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