September 29th 2024.
What a shame it was that things didn't turn out differently! It was almost a reality that Sir Ian McKellen would grace the screens of Emmerdale, but unfortunately, the creator of Coronation Street put a stop to it.
During a recent appearance on This Morning, the 85-year-old actor shared his grand plan to appear in every soap opera as the same character. It all began when he had a short stint on Coronation Street back in 2005, playing the role of a con artist named Lionel Hipkiss. Lionel's devious plan to trick the street's book club into funding his "novel" was foiled by Ken Barlow, much to the relief of the residents.
Sir Ian fondly recalled his time on the show, mentioning that it sparked his interest in exploring the world of soap operas even further. "I was playing a conman, and I was found out, so I can never go back as that character, they'll know who I am," he explained. "But then I had this idea that I might go into other soaps as the same character." His initial attempts to convince Emmerdale and Eastenders to join in on the fun were met with positive responses, but unfortunately, the late Tony Warren, the creator of Coronation Street, vetoed the idea. "He said, 'Absolutely not, the soaps do not recognize each other, and you may not be that character anywhere else,'" Sir Ian shared.
Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond, the hosts of the show, expressed their disappointment at the missed opportunity and praised Sir Ian for his unique idea. "Wouldn't it be good?" Sir Ian concluded with a smile. "Well, it's never too late!"
However, in June, Sir Ian suffered a dramatic fall during a performance of Player Kings at the Noël Coward Theatre in London. It was reported that he stumbled during a fight scene and fell off the stage, causing the show to be cancelled. Luckily, he wasn't badly injured and was able to return to work after a brief recovery period.
Despite his eagerness to get back to acting, Sir Ian recently revealed in an interview with BBC Breakfast that he will be taking a break for the rest of the year due to neck injuries sustained from the fall. He also mentioned wearing a "fat suit" that helped to cushion the impact and save him from more serious injuries. Although he has been experiencing wrist problems since the incident, he reassured his fans that he is on the mend.
"It's emotional, of course," Sir Ian admitted. "We all trip in our lives, but when you get to my age, you can't always get up again." This article was originally published on June 18th, 2024.
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