Sir Ian McKellen nearly made an iconic appearance on Emmerdale, but Coronation Street’s creator blocked the casting. During a chat on This Morning last year, Sir Ian shared his ambitious plan to star in every soap as the same character. However, the late Tony Warren nixed the idea. This disappointment comes amid news of Sir Ian’s dramatic fall during an on-stage performance.
Corrie Boss Rejects Soap Star’s ‘Unique’ Idea
Did you know Sir Ian McKellen almost made it to the Dales? However, the creator of Coronation Street rejected the idea and blocked his opportunity to be on the sets of Emmerdale. On This Morning, Sir Ian shared his ambitious plan to star as the same character in every soap. This idea sparked when he played con artist Lionel Hipkiss in ten episodes of Coronation Street in 2005.
Since his character couldn’t return, the actor thought about bringing the same character into other soaps. He mentioned that Dales was initially supportive and even began persuading BBC’s Eastenders to join in. However, Tony Warren, the creator of Coronation Street, disapproved of the idea.
The maker insisted that soaps should not acknowledge each other and forbade Ian from playing that character elsewhere. The show’s hosts, Dermot and Alison, expressed their regret. They also added that it was a ‘shame’ and appreciated the ‘unique’ idea. The 85-year-old star exclaimed, “Well, it’s never too late!”
Actors’ On-Stage Mishap- Rushed To Hospital!
On June 17, 2024, Sir Ian McKellen was rushed to the hospital after a fall during a performance of Player Kings at London’s Noël Coward Theatre. During an intense fight scene, he stumbled and fell off the stage. As the star tumbled, the house lights quickly came up.
The audience was evacuated, the show was cancelled, and ticket refunds were offered. However, the actor’s representative assured everyone that Ian would recover fully and speedily and wasn’t seriously injured. They expressed gratitude to the audience and the public for their good wishes.
They shared that, following a scan, the NHS team assured them that the soap actor was in good spirits. The production cancelled the performance scheduled for June 18, 2024, to allow Ian to rest. For more such Coronation Street updates, keep checking Soap Opera Daily! But can we get to explore such a storyline line in the future? Well, we really hope such an exciting plot comes to life!
