The West End will pay tribute to one of Britain's most celebrated actors at 7 pm on Tuesday 3 November, as theatres dim their lights for two minutes in memory of Sir Patrick Stewart, who has died aged 86.

Born Patrick Hewes Stewart in Mirfield, Yorkshire, on 13 July 1940, Stewart grew up in a working-class family. His mother, Gladys, encouraged her three sons to get involved in amateur dramatics, while a schoolteacher helped nurture Patrick's growing love of Shakespeare. 

After leaving school at 15, Stewart briefly worked as a journalist and obituary writer for the Dewsbury Reporter. But acting was never far from his mind. When his editor eventually asked him to choose between journalism and the stage, Stewart picked up his typewriter and made a choice that would chart the course of his life indefinitely. 

A Remarkable Career On Stage

Stewart won a scholarship to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School before making his professional stage debut in 1959 at the Theatre Royal in Bristol. In 1966, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, beginning a long association and establishing himself as one of Britain's finest classical actors.

Over the years, he took on an impressive range of Shakespearean roles, including Oberon, Prospero, Othello, Macbeth and Hamlet. His performances earned widespread acclaim and several major honours, including Olivier Awards for Antony and Cleopatra in 1979 and Hamlet in 2009. His one-man production of A Christmas Carol, in which he portrayed all 40 characters, also won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment in 1994.

His theatrical career continued alongside his growing screen success. He returned to the RSC as Prospero in a 2006 production of The Tempest, which transferred to the West End the following year, and later appeared alongside his close friend Sir Ian McKellen in Waiting for Godot on both sides of the Atlantic.

From Shakespeare To Star Trek

Although Stewart had spent decades building a reputation on stage, international fame arrived in 1987 when he was cast as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Initially sceptical about swapping the theatre for science fiction, Stewart signed a six-year contract believing the series might not last. Instead, it became a huge success, turning him into a global star and making Picard one of television's most recognisable characters. He went on to reprise the role in four Star Trek films and the later series Star Trek: Picard.

His success in space didn't stop there. Stewart joined the X-Men franchise as Professor Charles Xavier, the powerful telepath and leader of the X-Men. The role introduced him to another generation of film fans and saw him share the screen with Sir Ian McKellen, who played his on-screen rival Magneto.

Away from those iconic roles, Stewart appeared in a host of acclaimed television productions, including I, Claudius, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley's People. 

A Life Beyond The Stage And Screen

Stewart's contribution to the arts was recognised with an OBE in 2001 and a knighthood in 2010 for services to drama. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing his place among the entertainment industry's most respected performers.

Away from acting, he was a passionate political activist, a long-time Labour Party supporter and a campaigner for victims of domestic abuse. He also remained deeply connected to his Yorkshire roots, maintaining a home in the county and supporting Huddersfield Town throughout his life.

His friendship with Sir Ian McKellen was another constant. The pair shared the stage in Waiting for Godot and Harold Pinter's No Man's Land, as well as becoming firm friends away from the spotlight. McKellen was among those leading tributes following Stewart's death.

Rest in peace, Sir Patrick Stewart.