One of Britain’s best-loved actors paid a visit to Bromley Little Theatre last weekend to help raise money for charity at a gale evening.

Sir Derek Jacobi CBE dropped by in Sunday (October 12) to take part in an on-stage conversation about his life and career with the Theatre’s Pat Jones, who first met him at the start of his career at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and told the audience how he was invited by Sir Laurence Olivier to join the fledgling National Theatre.

The 75-year-old described himself as the ‘luckiest actor alive’ for his habit of being in the right place at the right time and said believed actors are born. He told young performers they should only going into acting if they felt the need to act, not if they wanted to act.

Sir Derek has appeared in more than 50 stage shows, 55 TV series or plays and 56 films. He has won the Olivier Award twice, a Tony award, an Emmy and a Bafta.

The evening raised £2,320 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.