Sir Ian McKellen having 'lots of essential rest' and will miss last Player Kings West End performances after fall

Sir Ian McKellen will miss the final three West End performances of Player Kings when it resumes on Thursday night after his fall from the stage.

A post on social media confirmed his understudy David Semark will go on instead.

A statement said: “David Semark will be playing the role of Sir John Falstaff for the final three scheduled performances of Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre in London while Sir Ian McKellen recuperates following his fall on Monday.

“We look forward to Ian returning to the production, which begins a national tour in Bristol on Wednesday July 3, before visiting Birmingham, Norwich and Newcastle.”

Sir Ian said he is having “physiotherapy, light exercise and a lot of essential rest at home” after three nights in hospital.

The 85-year-old actor fell “belly flop fashion” off the stage at the Noel Coward theatre where is appearing in the play which is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV parts one and two.

One audience member said they heard the veteran star, who plays John Falstaff in the show, yell out “help me…my arms” after he tripped.

Sir Ian had been circling around a battle scene between the Prince of Wales and Henry Percy when he tripped and fell – prompting the house lights to come up and ushers and audience members dash to his aid.

Sir Ian’s career has spanned more than six decades since his 1961 stage debut and includes lengthy stints with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre.

On screen he is best known for playing Magneto in the X-Men films and Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, based on the books from JRR Tolkien.

He has been named Best Actor twice at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards – in both cases for Shakespearean roles in Othello and Coriolanus, as well as picking up Olivier Awards, a Golden Globe and a Tony Award.