Clubgoers ‘Gobsmacked’ To Meet Sir Ian McKellen, 85, Living His Best Life At London Gay Club

Chloe Sargeant
October 16, 2024

Image: Image: zacidk/X & Joel C Ryan / AP

Pictures have surfaced of LGBTQIA+ icon Sir Ian McKellen, who is 85 years of age, dancing the night away and having the time of his life (not to mention surrounded by shirtless men) at popular London gay bar, Roast.

The images of McKellen first surfaced on Monday, showing the beloved actor smiling widely as he posed with two shirtless men during the evening of October 12.

X user @zacidk first alerted people to the Lord of Rings and X-Men star’s presence at Roast — which is known as “London’s beefiest club night” — when he tweeted, “WHY IS IAN MCKELLEN AT ROAST????”

WHY IS IAN MCKELLEN AT ROAST????

— Zac⚡️ (@zacidk) October 13, 2024

He then followed up this tweet with a pic of himself and a friend on either side of the actor, all smiling and laughing.

BITCH https://t.co/lfWDEx0uT0 pic.twitter.com/pv2uU5teCQ

— Zac⚡️ (@zacidk) October 13, 2024

“Everyone was gobsmacked when they spotted him on the dancefloor”

Clubgoers spoke to the Daily Mail about the star’s appearance at the LGBTQIA+ venue, saying people were ‘gobsmacked’ to see him.

“Everyone was gobsmacked when they spotted him on the dancefloor,” said a source who attended the club that night.

“Sir Ian was having such a good time soaking up the party atmosphere. He looked like he didn’t have a care in the world.”

They also said they “never have guessed that he was only in hospital just a few months ago”, referencing McKellen‘s recent injury after falling off stage when taking part in a battle scene in modern Shakespeare adaptation Player Kings at London’s Noel Coward Theatre.

“He had many people approach him to send their well wishes,” said the clubgoer. “One attendee was clearly a fan of his work in the Lord of the Rings movies, as he greeted the star as ‘Gandalf the Gay’.”

The clubgoer also said McKellen took the Lord of the Rings joke in ‘good humour’.

The club’s Instagram page also reposted a picture of the actor at the venue, with the caption, “Gandalf flakes on every battle but turns up to Roast”.

Image: Screenshot of Roast London’s Instagram Stories.

Social media is ‘obsessed’ with photos of Sir Ian McKellen at London gay club Roast

The response to McKellen’s appearance at the gay club, and the reports that he was dancing and ‘living his best life’ at the tender age of 85, has been enormously positive.