McKellen said “Red Nose Day is a national institution and I’m delighted to be at last making my debut with Comic Relief. As for the Speaking Clock, I hope everyone will give me a call, if they have the time, so to speak."
Most commonly known today for his high profile Hollywood roles as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie series, as well as Magneto in the X-Men franchise, McKellen’s CV also features extensive theatre credits with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. McKellen’s work has been recognised with numerous awards over the years, including six Laurence Olivier Awards, a Golden Globe, and two Academy Award nominations, among many others. In 1991, McKellen was knighted for services to the performing arts.
The money raised through the BT Speaking Clock and other fundraising initiatives will be spent by Comic Relief right here in the UK, and across Africa, helping vulnerable and disadvantaged people to turn their lives around. BT has been a major partner of Comic Relief since the charity’s launch in 1985, providing the technology, call centres, network management and volunteers that enable millions of pounds of donations each year.