‘He punched a polar bear on the nose!’ Ninety glorious years of Brian Blessed - by Emma Thompson, Adrian Lester and more
British actor Brian Blessed celebrates his 90th birthday with tributes from colleagues like Emma Thompson. The article recounts anecdotes about his eccentric personality, adventurous spirit, and long-standing career in theater and film.
Why it matters
It highlights the cultural impact of a long-standing British acting icon and provides a retrospective on his contribution to the arts.
‘Delightfully terrifying’ … as Sir Tunbelly Clumsey in The Relapse at the National Theatre in 2001. ‘Delightfully terrifying’ … as Sir Tunbelly Clumsey in The Relapse at the National Theatre in 2001. Brian Blessed ‘He punched a polar bear on the nose!’ Ninety glorious years of Brian Blessed – by Emma Thompson, Adrian Lester and more Peeing in the sink he shared with Derek Jacobi, making a badger video with Brian May, climbing Everest with Alan Hinkes … as the great actor blasts into his 90s, stars celebrate his ‘loudness and madness’
Interviews by Mark Fisher Thu 8 Oct 2026 05.00 BST Last modified on Thu 8 Oct 2026 08.53 BST Share Prefer the Guardian on Google ‘A mighty wind, a tree of life’ Emma Thompson
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