Ian McKellen says Shakespeare fat suit saved him during stage fall

01:09

Ian McKellen reveals ‘nasty’ injuries in first TV interview since 3ft stage fall

Sir Ian McKellen has revealed the “nasty” injuries he sustained in his first television interview since falling three feet from a stage during a Shakespeare play.

Sir Ian McKellen said a fatsuit he wore to play the Shakespearean character Falstaff saved him from even worse injuries when he fell from the stage back in June.

The actor told BBC Breakfast on Monday (2 September): “It was a nasty fall and came as a shock.

“I fractured my wrist and chipped a vertebrae.”

Sir Ian also explained how he fell after getting his foot caught in a chair.

The actor added: “I was extremely lucky I was wearing a padded suit.”

Up next

Strictly’s Ellie and Vito give relationship update in live show return

00:38

Strictly’s Ellie and Vito give relationship update in live show return

Pete Wicks makes cheeky dig at fellow Strictly contestant

00:28

Pete Wicks makes cheeky dig at fellow Strictly contestant

Watch: Amy Dowden makes Strictly return after cancer treatment

00:44

Watch: Amy Dowden makes Strictly return after cancer treatment

Strictly Come Dancing: Janette Manrara makes candid show confession

01:01

Strictly Come Dancing: Janette Manrara makes candid show confession

Editor’s Picks

Paralympic Judo champions on how to win medals and remain disciplined

05:24

Paralympic Judo champions on how to win medals and remain disciplined

The Tony Blair interview with Geordie Greig

39:41

The Tony Blair interview with Geordie Greig

The story of Kate Moss’s sheer dress | That Dress

01:31

The story of Kate Moss’s sheer dress | That Dress

What do the royal family need to do to stay relevant?

01:00:25

What do the royal family need to do to stay relevant?

More Editor’s Picks

On The Ground

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

03:51

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

04:18

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

06:26

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

04:30

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

More On The Ground

Behind The Headlines

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

10:42

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

06:27

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

How airlines greenwash the skies

07:23

How airlines greenwash the skies

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

06:35

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

More Behind The Headlines

Decomplicated

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

07:25

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

04:31

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

07:30

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

03:34

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

More Decomplicated

Binge Watch

Justin Theroux on the legacy of The Leftovers

04:26

Justin Theroux on the legacy of The Leftovers

Willem Dafoe pitches his own legacy sequels

06:26

Willem Dafoe pitches his own legacy sequels

Alicia Vikander on starring opposite Jude Law

13:30

Alicia Vikander on starring opposite Jude Law

Leila Farzad talks Kaos, The Decameron and finding the audience

15:04

Leila Farzad talks Kaos, The Decameron and finding the audience

More Binge Watch

Music Box

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

05:49

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

05:45

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

04:13

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

03:58

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

Travel Smart

How to travel sustainably around Europe by train

07:27

How to travel sustainably around Europe by train

The splendour along Lake Geneva as Montreux Jazz Festival plays

05:53

The splendour along Lake Geneva as Montreux Jazz Festival plays

Go to where the wild things are with a safari holiday

04:30

Go to where the wild things are with a safari holiday

Exploring the wilds of the Atlantic Islands

07:16

Exploring the wilds of the Atlantic Islands

More Travel Smart

News

Watch: Ed Davey jet-skis to Lib Dem conference in Brighton

01:07

Watch: Ed Davey jet-skis to Lib Dem conference in Brighton

Hollywood actor praises President Zelensky during Ukraine meeting

00:52

Hollywood actor praises President Zelensky during Ukraine meeting

Watch moment Ukrainian prisoner of war is reunited with her family

01:06

Watch moment Ukrainian prisoner of war is reunited with her family

Trump tells people to call him ‘Mr Border President’

01:25

Trump tells people to call him ‘Mr Border President’

Sport

F1 Baku: McLaren boss on what caused Lando Norris’s Q1 exit

02:05

F1 Baku: McLaren boss on what caused Lando Norris’s Q1 exit

Mourners gather for funeral of Olympian runner killed by ex-partner

01:10

Mourners gather for funeral of Olympian runner killed by ex-partner

Cristiano Ronaldo hits incredible social media milestone

01:11

Cristiano Ronaldo hits incredible social media milestone

Chilwell handed Chelsea lifeline as Maresca confirms training decision

01:01

Chilwell handed Chelsea lifeline as Maresca confirms training decision

Climate

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

00:49

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

00:33

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

01:00

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

00:31

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

Lifestyle

Strictly Come Dancing: Janette Manrara makes candid show confession

01:01

Strictly Come Dancing: Janette Manrara makes candid show confession

Watch: Paloma Faith opens up on fertility struggles

01:00

Watch: Paloma Faith opens up on fertility struggles

Cat stuck in 10-metre-deep tank at sewage plant rescued

00:32

Cat stuck in 10-metre-deep tank at sewage plant rescued

Discover the delights of an Australian city break

06:10

Discover the delights of an Australian city break

Saudi Cup

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

01:36

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

00:42

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

01:26

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

00:32

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

Galaxy The Ripple Effect

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

04:23

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

04:26

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

01:01

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

01:07

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

E.ON Next Power Switch

Episode One - Cooking

03:13

Episode One - Cooking

Episode Two - Entertainment

03:10

Episode Two - Entertainment

Episode Three - Body Care

02:48

Episode Three - Body Care

Episode Four - Lighting

03:12

Episode Four - Lighting

Big In America

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

15:55

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

16:33

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

16:06

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

15:01

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

More Big In America

Saudi Green Initiative

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

01:16

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

00:36

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

00:48

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

01:08

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

More Saudi Green Initiative

AlUla

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

01:51

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

02:07

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

02:00

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard

02:09

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard