Sir Ian McKellen is struggling to remember his best friend's name

He has now told the BBC about his memory also failing him: "It's a nuisance not remembering your best friend's name or your own phone number."

But he added he has no plans to retire "as long as the legs and the lungs and the mind keep working".

He went on: "What would I be doing if not working? I'll take the rest of the year off and be back in January."

Sir Ian added he is also eager to reprise his role as Gandalf in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum' - set for release in 2026 - and which he last played a decade ago.

He said: "I'm not letting anybody else put on the pointy hat if I can help it."

Sir Ian also told how he was "doing fine" after his "nasty" fall, which happened after his foot caught in the remains of a chair.

He said: "It wasn't that I'd got dizzy or anything like that - it was a pure accident.

"So I count myself lucky that it's beginning to be a distant memory, but it did mean that I couldn't do the tour (of 'Players Kings'), so if it's a chance for me to apologise to the audiences in Bristol, Birmingham, Norwich, I'm sorry I wasn't there, but I'll be back."

He added even though he is "physically recovered" there is emotional "residue" he has to confront from the stage incident.

Sir Ian said: "I said to myself as I slid off the stage and tripped and slipped on a polished surface, 'This is the end' - these were the words in my mind.

"And apparently I shouted out, 'My leg is broken, I'm dying'. I don't remember saying that.

"So there was a lot going on in my head as the body responded to the fall."