Sir Ian McKellen was rushed to the hospital on Monday when the beloved actor accidentally fell off stage during a performance.
McKellen, 85, was performing in a production of Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre in London, and amid a fight scene, he lost his footing and fell. The BBC was the first to report.
It was not immediately clear what injuries, if any, McKellen sustained in the fall. However, the theater was evacuated and the production was canceled for the evening.
Sir Ian McKellen in a production of 'Player Kings' at the Noel Coward Theatre on April 11, 2024 in London, England.
Player Kings is an adaptation of Parts 1 and 2 of Henry IV, with McKellen in the leading role as John Falstaff. His run on the show has been received with universal critical acclaim.
According to the BBC, the incident occurred as McKellen's Falstaff was circling a battle involving his co-lead, Toheeb Jimoh (playing Henry Percy), and he fell off the front of the stage and cried out for help.
The production team behind Player Kings tells ET of Sir Ian McKellen's on-stage fall at the Noël Coward theatre, "Thank you to our audience and the general public for their well wishes following Ian's fall during this evening’s performance."
"Following a scan, the brilliant NHS team have assured us that he will make a speedy and full recovery and Ian is in good spirits," the statement continued. "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."
One audience member told the BBC that the incident was "very shocking" and recounted, "As far as I saw, he was conscious because he was asking for assistance."
Journalist Charlie Johnson, who was in attendance at the event, took to Twitter to detail what he had seen.
"Just witnessed Ian Mckellan severely injure himself after falling off stage at Noel Coward Theatre. Sir Ian could be heard screaming in pain as ushers rushed to his aid," he wrote. "Show cancelled as he is treated by ambulance crews. Wish him all the best."
The production is scheduled to tour a series of London theaters through July 27. However, it's unclear at this point what impact McKellen's fall and subsequent hospitalization will have on the production's schedule.
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