Paul Carden

SIR PATRICK STEWART (1940-2026) Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love. We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in 'Star Trek'. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk—getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”. Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences, who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes ('X-Men' of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway. America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin. But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire. His farewell performance in 'Avengers: Doomsday' is yet to be seen. Ian McKellen 29 October 2026 Photo: University of Huddersfield

Bradley Walsh hosts a night filled with laughter, music and memories. Bringing together performers, stars, and friends from across film, television, theatre, and music for a celebration of the people and stories that have entertained generations. Stars taking part will include: Stefan Bednarczyk, David Benson, Michelle Collins, Bobby Crush, Matt Henry, Jack Lane, Robert Lindsay, Jeremy Secomb, Harriet Thorpe, Emma Williams and me. With further casting and other special guests to be announced. This special evening brings together Elstree Studios and Denville Hall, two institutions both celebrating their centenary this year, each holding extraordinary places in British entertainment history, to unite for Raise the Roof! - a spectacular celebration for Denville Hall’s Centenary Appeal. With Helen Mirren and Daniel Radcliffe, I am helping raise funds to mark the 100th anniversary of Denville Hall, which provides hospice care and more for people who have worked in the UK entertainment business. We are building accommodation for couples and establishing a fund to ensure Denville thrives for a further century. This concert is just the beginning of a very necessary campaign. Book at delfontmackintosh.co.uk/what…