Legendary actor Sir Ian McKellen is set to celebrate his 80th birthday next year by raising funds for theatres - with a new solo show which will play on 80 stages across the UK.

The mammoth tour will take the Lord of the Rings star to theatres with which he has personal connections, as well as some he has never performed at before.

It will include amateur groups he knew as a child and notable playhouses he has played in as a professional actor over the last half-century.

His intimate show is a mixture of anecdote and acting, including Tolkien, Shakespeare, others - and the audience.

The 79-year-old will turn 80 on May 25. The special performance will come to the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on May 6 next year.

Describing the show, Sir Ian said: “I’m celebrating my 80th birthday by touring a new solo show to theatres I know well and a few that I don’t.

“The show starts with Gandalf and will probably end with an invitation to act with me on stage. In between there will be anecdotes and acting.

“I open at my local arts centre in January and end up by August in Orkney.

“Live theatre has always been thrilling to me, as an actor and in the audience. Growing up in Lancashire, I was grateful to those companies who toured beyond London and I’ve always enjoyed repaying that debt by touring up and down the country myself, with the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Prospect Theatre, the Actors’ Company, as well as with commercial productions.

“Sean Mathias, the director and I have worked together for stage and screen, many happy times.

“I’m glad to be making my debut in Aylesbury.”

Adam Speers from Ambassador Theatre Group said they were “proud” to host the star.

He said: “ATG is proud to be presenting Ian McKellen on Stage and is committed to supporting regional touring. 

“The UK’s regional venues are integral in supporting and developing artists and practitioners across all areas of the theatre, both on and off stage. 

“All of us in this industry are united by a passion for the arts and love of what we do and this special show is a rare and excellent opportunity to celebrate what’s best in our industry while at the same time celebrating one of its greatest actors and raising vital funds to keep the lifeblood of theatre in this country flowing.” 

Sir Ian first acted at school and with amateur groups in the north of England. 

He attended Cambridge University and, since 1961, has worked non-stop in the British theatre. 

He has been leading man and produced plays, modern and classic, for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre of Great Britain and in the West End of London.

The star is recognised worldwide as Magneto in the X-Men films and Gandalf in Tolkien’s Middle Earth films. 

He won his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor, as the gay film director James Whale, in Bill Condon’s 1998 classic “Gods and Monsters”.

Tickets are on sale now from £10. The show starts at 7pm.

Call 0844 871 7607 or go to atgtickets.com/aylesbury for tickets.