Sir Simon Russell Beale, a star of House of the Dragon, has revealed he was quietly battling colon cancer after previously pulling out of a major theatre production due to ill health. The 65-year-old actor confirmed the diagnosis eight months after withdrawing from the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Titus Andronicus, just weeks before its London run.
At the time, a joint statement from the RSC and Hampstead Theatre cited unspecified health issues, but the acclaimed Shakespearean actor has now shared the real reason behind his absence. Speaking at an event at The Delaunay in Covent Garden, he explained, as reported by The Times: 'I've decided to tell everybody… I did the run in Stratford, then House of the Dragon, and then had to be taken to hospital and they found that I had colon cancer.'
He described the past eight months as 'a bit tricky', adding that stepping away from work proved particularly difficult. 'It's a bore obviously, but it's also tricky dropping out of things… It broke my heart dropping out of Titus because it was such a good show.'
Russell Beale had previously performed the title role in Stratford-upon-Avon before he was due to transfer to London for a run at Hampstead Theatre in September and October. The physically demanding 711-line role was ultimately taken over by John Hodgkinson following his withdrawal.
The actor, widely regarded as one of Britain's leading stage performers, has played some of Shakespeare's most iconic roles, including Hamlet, King Lear and Falstaff. In House of the Dragon, he earned praise from fans for his portrayal of Ser Simon Strong, a knight of House Strong during the Dance of the Dragons. He has also enjoyed a prolific screen career outside the show, appearing in Downton Abbey and winning a Tony Award for The Lehman Trilogy.
Knighted in 2019 for services to drama, Russell Beale told the audience he is now preparing to return to work, despite lingering uncertainty about his health. 'At the moment I'm at that funny stage of thinking, do I dare risk it? I've decided to risk it, I'm starting again next week,' he said, to applause.
His comeback will see him narrate a new staging of Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis, using puppetry, as part of a UK tour this summer.
