Professor Stephen Hawking postpones BBC Reith Lectures due to illness

Professor Hawking, 73, was set to record the prestigious lectures, on the topic of black holes

Professor Stephen Hawking has been forced to postpone delivering this year’s BBC Reith Lectures due to illness.

Professor Hawking, 73, was set to record the prestigious lectures, on the topic of black holes, and take questions submitted from an invited Radio 4 audience, in London on 12 November.

But the BBC said it had been forced to postpone one of the highlights of the Radio 4 calendar. A spokesman said: “Unfortunately Thursday’s recording of the BBC Reith Lectures with Professor Stephen Hawking is no longer going ahead as he is unwell. We are postponing the broadcast of the lectures on Radio 4 and are liaising with Professor Hawking and his team about the next steps once he is better.”

Cambridge University did not release further details of the condition of the scientist, who has Motor Neurone Disease. The lecture was due to air during a series of Radio 4 programmes beginning on November 24.