Ian McKellen, 85, rushed to hospital after 'screaming in pain' as he fell off stage during performance

Scenes of tension and concern unfolded after audience members witnessed acting veteran Sir Ian McKellen lose his balance on stage and plunge into the orchestra pit during a turbulent fight scene in the Player Kings' performance at London's Noel Coward Theatre.

Playing the character of John Falstaff, the 85-year-old legend was engaging in dramatic combat with the characters of Prince of Wales and Henry Percy when he suddenly plummeted off the front of the stage.

Witnesses said the theatre instantly plunged into a tense silence, broken only by the cries of pain from the iconic actor. The theatre quickly clicked into emergency mode and staff members darted to their fallen star.

The audience - stunned and filled with anxiety - were promptly escorted out of the theatre with news that the rest of the show stood cancelled. In the aftermath of the shocking episode, spectators took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts about what they had just seen.

One audience member unflinchingly described the incident as a "really bad fall".

Another viewer, still under the shock of the spectacle unfailingly recounted: "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. Show cancelled as he is treated by ambulance crews. Wish him all the best," they penned on X, reports the Mirror.

One of the spectators reflected about the incident: "Audience shocked by Sir Ian McKellen's fall off stage on Monday evening at Noel Coward Theatre. Staff working hard to help him. Thoughts with him, cast and crew."

Another one chimed in: "It was a really bad fall. I hope that he is OK."

A third observed: "Shocking to watch, it was a terrible fall. Hoping he is not badly injured, he seemed to be in great pain."

Yet another audience member shared: "Wasn't sure if it was part of the play. He sounded in a bad way. Hope he's OK."

One more echoed: "It was very shocking indeed. Praying he is OK."

So far, there's no update on how serious Sir Ian's injuries might be. His representatives have been contacted for further details.

The revered actor, known for his role in Lord Of The Rings, recently ended a year-long romance with his boyfriend Oscar Conlon-Morrey, whom he's 54 years senior. They caught each other's eye while both working in a pantomime back in December 2022, where Sir Ian was starring as Mother Goose and Oscar portrayed his son Jack.

On New Year's Eve in 2023, Oscar couldn't contain his excitement about their fledgling relationship, gushing: "I saw in 2023 at the house of the new love of my life," posted on his X account (formerly known as Twitter). According to sources close to them, Sir Ian was just as besotted with the younger actor.

Nonetheless, the romantic storm fizzled out rather quickly, with the couple deciding to end things this past February.

Ian's inner circle has long been sceptical about the esteemed actor ever taking the plunge into married life. When Ian and Oscar first became an item, a prominent actor shared his reservations with MailOnline: "Oscar has been telling friends and family of his big plans with McKellen. He's even said he thinks they'll get engaged."

Expressing scepticism about the couple's future, the source continued: "McKellen hasn't had a boyfriend in 20 years. He is really not a marriage man. He doesn't want a man living in his home. He enjoys having someone when he is on tour. He gets infatuated; then as quickly as he is into them, he's fallen out with them. There is no way when he is out of the bubble of doing this panto that he is going to have this guy with him in East London, rattling around," they added.

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