Sir Ian McKellen has praised healthcare workers after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.
After receiving the Pfizer jab, the Lord of the Rings star said he wants to 'give them all a big hug' and urged others to get the vaccine.
"Next time I come, well no, six days after I next come I'm going to give them all a big hug - is that allowed? I don't know," he said.
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"That's the real bonus of all this, to watch and see what works in this country and what doesn't work - and it seems to me the NHS is right at the top of the list for institutions that do work.
"Of course, I know I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for the NHS. I'm a little bit older than the NHS but when I was a kid, having good medical treatment available when it was needed - what a wonderful notion," he continued.
"I would encourage everybody to do the sensible thing, not just for themselves but for everybody else because if you're virus-free that helps everybody else, doesn't it?"
The 81-year-old added that he believes elderly people would be more than willing to get the vaccine.
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"Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations, the take-up amongst the older generation will be 100% - it ought to be - because you're having it not just for yourself but for people who you are close to - you're doing your bit for society," he said.
Speaking of the vaccination: "Of course, it's painless... it's convenient, and getting in touch and meeting NHS staff and saying thank you to them for how hard they've been working is a bonus."
"It is invasive of course, it looks like a weapon - a needle - but it isn't, it's a friend!"
Those receiving the Pfizer vaccine will be given a booster jab 21 days after their first dose to ensure the best chance of being protected against the virus.
Topics: covid, Entertainment, Celebrity