Sir Ian McKellen returned to work for the first time since his horror stage fall last year. The acclaimed actor, 85, played John Falstaff in a production at the Noel Coward Theatre when he fell off the stage.

The Lord of the Rings icon had reportedly been performing a fight scene when he apparently lost his footing. It was later confirmed that Ian would not return for the rest of the production tour.

Sir Ian’s comeback has now been confirmed as he was photographed filming in London alongside Gavin and Stacey star James Corden and Baby Reindeer actress Jessica Gunning.

In images taken on Monday, the actor appeared in high spirits as he laughed alongside the two other actors in between takes. The talented group is currently working on the upcoming film, The Christophers, which is reportedly a dark comedy.

According to Deadline, the movie explores “the estranged children of a once-famous artist who hire a forger to complete his unfinished works so they can be discovered and sold after his death.”

This is also James Corden’s first return to filming following the success of Gavin and Stacey’s final-ever episode on Christmas Day.

Five years on from the previous special’s cliffhanger, the feature-length Gavin & Stacey finale saw 12.32 million people tune in to find out what happened after Nessa’s proposal to Smithy.

The beloved comedy, which first hit screens in 2007, broke its own record set in 2019 when 11 million people watched the penultimate episode.

Following his terrifying fall, Sir Ian revealed that he was “saved” by a fat suit. He also admitted to Saga Magazine afterwards that he was “too scared to leave his house” after he “chipped his vertebrae and fractured his wrist.”

Speaking to the publication in August, he had to wear a wrist support and neck brace as he recovered.

Ian said at the time: “But I was wearing a fat suit for Falstaff and that saved my ribs and other joints. So I’ve had a lucky escape really. […] I’ve relived that fall I don’t know how many times. It was horrible.”

He added: “I thought it was the end of something. It was very upsetting. The end didn’t mean my death. It was my participation in the play.

“I have to keep assuring myself that I’m not too old to act and it was just a bloody accident. I didn’t lose consciousness, I hadn’t been dizzy, but I’ve not been able to go back and they still played without me.”