We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart, who has died aged 86.
A towering figure of British theatre and one of the most recognisable actors of his generation, Sir Patrick enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning more than six decades across stage and screen.
After training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, he became a longstanding member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearing in numerous productions including King Lear, The Tempest, Julius Caesar and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
His remarkable stage career earned him two Olivier Awards, including recognition for Antony and Cleopatra and Hamlet, in which he starred alongside David Tennant.
Beyond the stage, he became beloved by audiences worldwide as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films.
His wonderful friendship and creative partnership with Sir Ian McKellen also brought audiences memorable productions of Waiting for Godot and No Man's Land in the West End and on Broadway.
According to a statement shared on his official social media accounts, Sir Patrick passed away at his Los Angeles home on 28 October, following a brief illness involving Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
An extraordinary talent whose contribution to theatre, film and television will be remembered for generations.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.
Rest in peace, Sir Patrick.
Photo credit: Anders Krusberg / Peabody Awards, licensed under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/) Image cropped from original.