NEVER mind ‘Gordon’s Alive’ Brian Blessed is certainly alive and well and has no intention of dying anytime soon.

The 82-year-old is even planning a trip to Mars.

Maybe he’d finally have a day without being asked to repeat in his booming voice ‘Gordon’s Alive’ – apparently even the Queen has requested him to.

The full house at Parr Hall were in stitches over Brian’s accurate impersonations of cinematic icons such as John Gielgud and Peter O’Toole alongside anecdotes of mischief making with lifelong pal Patrick Stewart.

Born in Mexborough, in South Yorkshire, Brian talked warmly of his northern roots, even reminiscing, as a supporter of Bradford Northern, how Warrington always gave them a good beating.

Brian engaged the audience with childhood stories intermingled with experiences in his theatrical life and the work he does for rescue animals and helping improve national parks.

There was seriousness between the many laughs – the love of his life actress Hildegarde Neil getting through cancer, Patrick Moore on his deathbed requesting him to read the poem Lollingdon Downs by John Masefield and accounts of his father’s near death experiences in the coal mines.

Brian quite rightly boasts about the huge capacity of his lungs, this was evident in the second half of his show when he broke into classical song between anecdotes – giving Pavarotti a run for his money with his rendition of O Sole Mio.

It’s these great lungs perhaps that helped him to the top of Everest where he ‘felt he had a gift to acclimatise’.

Or could it be Brian’s own determination to live life to the full?

“I’ve never been a fan of talent, I’ve always been a fan of will power,” he told the crowd, urging us all to embrace life and make the most of it.

“We’re all stardust,” he said in one of his philosophical moments.

“And stardust was created when the universe began.”

Let’s hope Brian makes it to Mars as he belongs among the stars.

HELEN SPRIGGS