Sir Ian McKellen

So that's a sign of his confidence and the accuracy of his eye, which is beautifully seen in the film.

He is a character in the film, really.

He's an observer.

But I was warned about this.

If he walked out of the room, that was high praise, because it meant we were on to the next thing.

It is.

It must be a wonderful feeling.

And unfortunately, you can't just see, but just around the corner is Gandalf's staff.

to keep the hobbits and the imbibers in order.

Yes.

So even more at home.

Yes.

Well, I'm off in the summer, although it'll be a New Zealand's winter, to do Andy Serkis' latest version of Lord of the Rings.

Less than I would be if we were doing it in their summer, when New Zealand looks magnificent.

It's windy and it's cold and it's wet.

But I guess we'll be indoors most of the time, perhaps not on location as much as in the past.

It'll be lovely to be back with the old team, but not many of the previous actors, some, but not many.

And how long does that shoot take?

I'll be there for three months, I think, yeah.

I suppose I do, really.