Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Ian McKellen Thanks Fans For Their 'Kind Words' After Scary Fall Off London Stage Mid-Performance

Ian McKellen
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage

The 85-year-old actor was in the middle of a fight scene in 'Player Kings' on Monday night when he lost his footing and fell off the stage.

Concerned fans sent their well wishes to Sir Ian McKellen, the legendary actor best known for playing Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, after he lost his footing and fell off the stage while in the middle of a fight scene in Player Kings at London's Noël Coward Theatre.

The BBC reported that “As the house lights came up, the actor cried out and staff rushed to help.” An audience member described the moment the actor fell as "very shocking" but noted McKellen "was conscious because he was asking for assistance.” The actor was hospitalized and is expected to make a "full recovery."


The play's producers later thanked "our audience and the general public for their well wishes following Ian’s fall during this evening’s performance of Player Kings," adding:

“Following a scan, the brilliant NHS [National Health Service] team have assured us that he will make a speedy and full recovery and Ian is in good spirits.”
“The production has made the decision to cancel the performance on Tuesday 18 June so Ian can rest. Those affected will be contacted by their point of purchase as soon as possible tomorrow. Thank you to doctors Rachel and Lee who were on hand in the audience and to all the venue staff for their support.”

And McKellen himself took to X to thank fans and provide an update on his well-being.

You can see his full post below.


X.com/IanMcKellen

The news of the accident quickly went viral, and the actor's devoted fans sent wishes for a speedy recovery.


McKellen stars as John Falstaff in Player Kings, a production of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Parts One and Two. The show began its 12-week run on the West End in April.

McKellen is a seasoned Shakespearean actor, having played roles such as Macbeth, King Lear, Richard II, Coriolanus, Iago, and Richard III. This year, he also portrayed Hamlet in a film adaptation directed by Sean Mathias.

This isn’t the first time McKellen has been injured while performing. In 2018, he had to cancel a matinee performance of King Lear after injuring his leg in a fall while running to catch a train. Instead of the scheduled performance, McKellen treated the London audience to a Q&A session.

More from Trending

Screenshot of Stephen Colbert
CBS

Stephen Colbert Makes Somber Plea To Americans In Wake Of Charlie Kirk's Death

Late-night host Stephen Colbert had a somber message for Americans as he addressed the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, stressing that "political violence only leads to more political violence."

Kirk died after an unidentified gunman shot him in the neck as he—ironically enough—mocked victims of gun violence at an event in Utah Valley State University. Kirk's murder has galvanized the far-right, with President Donald Trump and his surrogates claiming without evidence that rhetoric from Democrats is responsible for Kirk's death.

Keep ReadingShow less
a woman sunbathing on rocks.
a person sitting on a towel on a beach
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

People Share The Weirdest Flexes They Heard Someone Say With A Straight Face

It is never attractive to gloat.

Even so, some people can't help but brag, or "flex" as it is sometimes known, about certain accomplishments or attributes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @thedowntheredoc's TikTok video
@thedowntheredoc/TikTok

TikToker Hilariously Calls Out Target After Champion Pants Feature Awkwardly-Placed Front Pleat

Sometimes you can just tell when something was designed *for* women, but was not actually designed *by* women.

Take, for instance, the new pleated pants available at Target from the Champion clothing line. While there's nothing wrong with pleated pants and they certainly have a suitable spot in the workplace, the latest rendition of Champion pleated pants are, shall we say, NSFW.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @kaicutch's Instagram video
@kaicutch/Instagram

Woman Flips Her Car After Belting Out Ironic Britney Spears Lyric In Wild Viral Video

Whether we want to admit it or not, we've all had our fair share of carpool karaoke and maybe even imagined our car as our own personal recording studio.

But TikToker and Instagrammer Kaitlynn McCutcheon may have gotten too into her performance of Britney Spears' classic, "Hit Me Baby, One More Time," when the road and her car both said, "Bet."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@lynnshazeen's TikTok video
@lynnshazeen/TikTok

Woman Goes Viral After Revealing How Her Obsession With Matcha Landed Her In The Hospital

Let's be honest: Too much of anything isn't good for us. It's all about the balance!

But the media and social media trends have taught us that certain things are really good for us, encouraging us to be like the "very mindful and very demure" girls and take care of ourselves. One such example is drinking more matcha, especially if you really like coffee or think you have a caffeine addiction.

Keep ReadingShow less