Harry Potter star Sir Michael Gambon has died at the age of 82
Harry Potter star Sir Michael Gambon has died at the age of 82.
The actor, who was best known for his role as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the wizarding franchise, died at hospital “peacefully”, according to his family.
In a statement released on behalf of his family, a representative said: "We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon.”
"Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia".
“We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love”, they added.
Many tributes have poured in from fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one penning, “RIP a true legend. His legacy will live on forever”.
“Goodbye Michael Gambon, and thank you for enriching our lives over so many years”, wrote a second fan.
Another said, “Rest in Peace Legend. You made our childhood awesome”.
The official Harry Potter Instagram page also released a statement about Michael’s sad passing.
Alongside a photo of him as his Dumbledore character, they wrote, “We are incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Michael Gambon”.
“He brought immeasurable joy to Harry Potter fans from all over the world with his humour, kindness and grace. We will forever hold his memory in our hearts”.
The Irish-English acting legend initially began his career more than 60 years ago and went on to win a number of impressive awards for his work, including three Oliviers and four BAFTAs. Michael was also one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre.
As well as his beloved Harry Potter role in six of the eight movies, Michael was familiar to audiences as the French detective Jules Maigret in the ITV series Maigret and King George V in The King's Speech, as well as his role in the BBC series The Singing Detective.
