Ian McKellen reveals it will be another year before he is back on stage after he went ‘head first’ into audience during West End performance

Ian McKellen has revealed it will be at least a year before he returns to the stage after falling during a West End performance in June.

The 85-year-old actor lost his balance and fell “head first” into the audience, before letting out a “blood-curdling scream” during his performance in Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre.

The Lord Of The Rings star has since recovered, but admitted he thought he had broken his neck shortly after the fall.

Ian joined Simon Marks on his Greatest Hits Radio Drivetime Wednesday, in which he discussed the time he has given himself before returning to the theater world.

He said: ‘What I’m left with is not so much a physical injury, but a psychological disorder, because at the time I thought it was much more serious than it was.

The 85-year-old actor lost his balance and fell ‘head first’ into the audience, before letting out a ‘blood-curdling scream’ during his performance in Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre

‘I think I thought I was going to die, I thought I’d broken my neck, I forgot, but apparently I said, “I’ve broken my neck, I’m dying,” and when I said that, I must have thought I was dying. And I’ve just got to live with that. I’m not dying, not yet, and I hope to be back on stage acting.’

When Simon asked him when he would know if the time was right, Ian replied: ‘That’s a good point – I think I will know because the contract says I have to turn up at a certain time! I’m not proposing to work on stage for another year and I think it will all be fine by then.’

With stage roles out of the question for the next 12 months, Simon asked about recent rumours that Sir Ian would be reprising his iconic role as Gandalf in Lord Of The Rings.

He said: ‘You can’t remain indifferent to the possibility that I can go back and play a role that I thought I was done with almost 25 years ago.

‘Apparently there are going to be two films that will feature Gandalf in some way, but until I read the script I don’t know if I would want to do that. I do feel pretty comfortable with him though.’

Meanwhile, Ian was also a guest on Jimmy Hill’s Capital Evening Show on Wednesday, where he admitted to ‘stealing’ one of the iconic props from The Lord Of The Rings film series without director Peter Jackson realising.

Presenter Jimmy revealed that he had heard that Ian has Gandalf’s staff behind the bar at his London pub The Grapes.

He said, ‘Ian, everyone’s been talking for the last few weeks about you possibly reprising your role as Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings.

Ian was a guest on Simon Marks’ Greatest Hits Radio Drivetime show on Wednesday, where he discussed the time he gave himself before returning to the theatre world.

When asked about rumours that he will reprise his role as Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings, Ian said he needs to see a script before deciding whether he wants to do it.

‘I’ve read, and I think I’m right in saying this, the staff – Gandalf’s staff – are behind the bar in your pub, in The Grapes?’

Ian replied, ‘In my pub in Limehouse, if you want to go and see it.’

Jimmy said, ‘So, now they have to raid your pub, break in and steal the staff?’

Ian said, “That’s an interesting point. Peter Jackson, who directed those Middle Earth films, kept everything. Now everything is a lot, because everyone in that film wore a wig.

‘They’re all preserved: the moustaches, the eyebrows, the padding, everything is preserved; every prop that was used, every sword, every shield, every pair of gloves.

“The last time I saw Peter Jackson he said, ‘Yeah, I’ve got everything. There’s just one thing I can’t find anywhere, and that’s the keys to Bag End.’ Well, don’t tell him, but they’re hanging in my house. I stole them!”

Jimmy replied, “It’s okay, he can get a new set!”

Ian then joked, “They can make new keys, and probably a new staff too.”

Tune in to The Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill, weekdays from 7pm to 10pm on Capital