Entertainment

Stars including Jeremy Clarkson , Piers Morgan and Harry Potter stars James Phelps, Afshan Azad and Chris Rankin have paid tribute to Sir Michael Gambon following the news of his death aged 82 .

On Thursday it was revealed that distinguished actor Sir Michael, best known for playing the role of Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films from 2004 to 2011, had died peacefully in hospital with his cause of death being pneumonia.

He is also known for playing French detective Jules Maigret in ITV series Maigret, and for his 1986 role as Philip Marlow in Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective.

The news of his death was met with an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow celebrities.

Soon after the news broke, former Top Gear host Clarkson paid tribute to the legendary actor on X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘I’m so sad to hear that Michael Gambon has died. He was hugely amusing, and such a tremendous guest, we even named a corner after him,’ he said, referencingan iconic episode of Top Gear where the actor was the ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’.

The episode saw Sir Michael nearly flip over a Suzuki Liana at the final corner, and it has been named Gambon ever since.

Morgan also recalled a hilarious exchange he once had with the late star.

His tweet read: ‘RIP Michael Gambon, 82. A true acting great. He once told me: “All I’ve ever wanted to do was act – but these modern celebrities want a quick buck with no talent or hard work required. It’s awful.”

‘”What would you call this type of person?” I asked. “I’d call them a cretin”.’

Fred Weasley actor James Phelps emotionally recalled a time Sir Michael helped him recite lines for a project.

Meanwhile, Azad, who played Padma Patil in Harry Potter, called Sir Michael an ‘icon’ and ‘legend’ writing: ‘What an absolute honour to say I shared the same room and screen as you for many years.’

Percy Weasley actor Rankin added: ‘Sad to hear we’ve lost the great Michael Gambon.’

Jason Isaacs, who played villain Lucius Malfoy in the wizarding franchise also paid his respects.

‘Magnificent Michael Gambon has died,’ he wrote on X.

‘I learned what acting could be from Michael in The Singing Detective – complex, vulnerable and utterly human. The greatest thrill of being in the Potter films was that he knew my name and shared his fearless, filthy sense of fun with me.’

Sir Michael took over the role of Dumbledore from Richard Harris, who died after the second film. Now, Harris’ son, who is also an actor, has also paid tribute.

‘A brilliant actor,’ he wrote. ‘I saw him on stage several times, and he lives unforgettably in my memory. He took over Dumbledore from my father, which was fitting as he over took Brando as my father’s favourite actor.’

Comedian David Baddiel tweeted: ‘First time I ever went to see any Theatre with a capital T it was Michael Gambon in Brecht’s Life Of Galileo at The National in 1980. It’s still the best stage acting I’ve ever seen. RIP.’

A message shared on Doctor Who’s official Twitter page read: ‘We’re sad to report the passing of Sir Michael Gambon, who appeared in A Christmas Carol in 2010.’

Singer Katherine Jenkins – who starred alongside Sir Michael in A Christmas Carol – also remembered the legendary actor, as she posted a picture of them together.

‘My dear Kazran! My first acting role was opposite Sir Michael Gambon in the Doctor Who Christmas Special,’ she wrote.

‘He couldn’t have been kinder, calmer and more supportive. Today we have lost the loveliest of legends.’

Withnail and I actor Richard E Grant also took to social media to share what looked to be a personal photo he took of the late actor, and wrote: ‘Sir Michael Gambon – THE GREAT GAMBON.’

Born in Dublin before moving to London as a child with his family, Sir Michael first qualified as an engineering technician before switching his focus to a career on the stage.

Starting his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre, over his six-decade-long career Sir Michael received three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards , and four Bafta Awards.

In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.

A statement issued on behalf of his widow Lady Gambon and son Fergus Gambon confirmed the news of his death earlier today.

‘We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,’ it read. ‘Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.’

Sir Michael leaves behind partner Phillipa Hart, as well as three children.

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Sir Michael Gambon was one of his generation’s most distinguished actors with six decades in the business, but it was his latter years as a wise wizard in Harry Potter that rocketed him to international fame.

The actor, best known for his portrayal of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, enjoyed an illustrious six decade-long career in which he cemented himself in history of one of our acting greats.

Born in Cabra, north Dublin, Sir Michael began his acting career with the legendary Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. His stage acting career began in the 1960s, before he moved to TV and film.

Over his time on stage and screen, the actor won three Olivier Awards, four BAFTA Awards, and in 1999 he was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama.

It was announced today that Sir Michael Gambon died peacefully in hospital aged 82.

A statement on behalf of his wife Lady Gambon and son Fergus Gambon, issued by publicist Clair Dobbs, said: ‘We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon .’

As well as enjoying a rich stage acting career, having starred in many Shakespeare plays and even working with Harold Pinter, Gambon also appeared on screen in films such as the The King’s Speech alongside Colin Firth, and series’ including the long-running war comedy Dad’s Army and The Singing Detective.

Back in 2009, Sir Michael also appeared on Top Gear , where he impressed presenters with his efforts to get a good lap time in their ‘reasonably priced car.’

He tried so hard, Sir Michael careered off at a corner his Suzuki Liana and caught air under his tyres as he veered off the course and hit a sign. In honour of this, the presenters named the corner after him.

Off the Top Gear track, Sir Michael also played Mr Bennet in the film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice alongside Kiera Knightly, and voiced classic films like The Wind in the Willows, and more recently, Paddington.

Alongside Daniel Craig, Sir Michael also starred in Layer Cake as British gangster Eddie Temple.

Eddie’s iconic monologue has gone down in history, in which he imparts some wisdom from a life of crime.

‘You’re born, you take sh*t. You get out in the world, take more sh*t. Rise a little higher, take less sh*t… Until one day, you’re up in the rarefied atmosphere, and you’ve forgotten what sh*t even looks like,’ he said.

‘Welcome to the Layer Cake, son.’

But his most high-profile role was as the wise headmaster in the third Harry Potter film all the way up until the last.

Following the death of Richard Harris, who played Dumbledore in the first two films, Sir Michael took up the role with masterful ease and saw it through until the death of his character in the seventh film, reappearing in the final one as a heavenly vision.

Dumbledore was Harry Potter’s mentor throughout the films, and played an integral role as holding a beacon of good against dark forces in the wizarding world.

One of Dumbledore’s most famous quotes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, goes: ‘To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.’

Sir Michael once described acting as his ‘calling’ in an interview with The Herald.

‘It’s like being a priest or a doctor or a nurse: you have a calling. That sounds a bit grand, doesn’t it?’ he said.

With a predisposition to mischief, Gambon was said to have began his career sending out letters to theatres with largely conflated CVs attached, according to the same interview.

But Sir Michael found a home at Dublin’s The Gate Theatre, and there – having never acted before – he was taken on as a very junior member of the company, and so his journey to the world’s stage began.

Back in 2014, Sir Gambon told The Guardian he was finding it ‘difficult to remember lines.’

‘I saw Trevor Nunn the other day and he said he’s got a part coming up for me,’ he said.

He also revealed how he cries on demand as an actor.

‘You just do it,’ he said. ‘That’s what acting is. But I admit I try and summon up a powerful image. The one I often think of is that of a little girl in uniform, taken during the Vietnam war, with her clothes and body on fire because of an aerial bomb.

‘I believe she recovered and is now a doctor, which makes me feel I’m not simply exploiting someone else’s tragedy.’

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MORE : Harry Potter Dumbledore actor Sir Michael Gambon dies aged 82

Sir Michael Gambon has died at the age of 82 , his family has announced.

The iconic actor was best known for playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movie franchise.

His cause of death was pneumonia and the film star was surrounded by loved ones when he died.

A statement issued on behalf of his widow Lady Anne Gambon and son Fergus said: ‘We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon.

‘Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.’

Among those paying tribute to the late acting great was Jeremy Clarkson, who tweeted: ‘I’m so sad to hear that Michael Gambon has died.

‘He was hugely amusing, and such a tremendous guest, we even named a corner after him.’

Comedian David Baddiel also said: ‘First time I ever went to see any Theatre with a capital T it was Michael Gambon in Brecht’s Life Of Galileo at The National in 1980.

‘It’s still the best stage acting I’ve ever seen. RIP.’

Sir Michael appeared as beloved Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore in six of the eight blockbuster movies from 2004 to 2011 after replacing the late Richard Harris.

He was an esteemed actor who received three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and four Baftas over his six-decade career.

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama in 1999.

Some of Sir Michael’s most notable works included a series of William Shakespeare productions such as Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello and Coriolanus.

He is also known for playing French detective Jules Maigret in ITV series Maigret, and for starring in the BBC series, The Singing Detective.

The Irish actor also appeared in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Gosford Park, The King’s Speech, Victoria & Abdul, Fantastic Mr Fox and the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Sir Michael earned four Baftas for his performances in The Singing Detective, Wives and Daughters, Longitude, and Perfect Strangers. He also received two Emmy nods for Emma and Path to War.

However, his work with JK Rowling wasn’t done as he starred in the BBC adaptation of The Casual Vacancy in 2015.

Opening up about his iconic role in the Harry Potter series, Sir Michael said he only realised while promoting fifth movie Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince just how popular the wizarding world was.

He said : ‘I’ve done five of these films. I turn up do my job, go home. The night before last, I got out the limo in Leicester Square, I got out to 4,000 children screaming and then suddenly I became aware of how big this thing is.

‘I was frightened, the noise was deafening, they were screaming.’

When asked what keeps fans going back to the franchise, Sir Michael said: ‘I don’t know, I suppose it’s the fantasy, the castle, the school, people in strange clothes… it’s a mixture of things isn’t it.

‘It’s an unusual concept, I suppose they love it, don’t they. I can’t really put my finger on why,’ he added.

Sir Michael is survived by his wife Anne Miller, who he married in 1962 when he was 22, and their son Fergus.

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