Sir Patrick Stewart marks his 80th birthday with 80th Shakespeare sonnet, of course

"I will try and make the sonnet as cheerful and birthday-like as possible."
By Sam Haysom  on 
Sir Patrick Stewart marks his 80th birthday with 80th Shakespeare sonnet, of course
Sir Patrick Stewart can't get enough of those sonnets. Credit: Paul Zinken/picture alliance via Getty Images

Remember back in March, when Sir Patrick Stewart's reading of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 went viral on Twitter?

The next day the legendary actor and unsung hero of Twitter posted another video of himself, this time reading Sonnet 1.

"When I was a child in the 1940s, my mother would cut up slices of fruit for me (there wasn't much) and as she put it in front of me she would say, 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away,'" tweeted Stewart. "How about, 'A sonnet a day keeps the doctor away?' So, here we go: Sonnet 1."

Well, guess what? He's kept it going since then. And although Stewart hasn't quite managed one every day, he's still managed to work his way up to Sonnet 80 just in time for his 80th birthday on Monday.

"I had not realised that we were at a rather significant point in these sonnets. We just passed the halfway mark," says Stewart in a video posted Sunday. "There are still 74 to go. But not only are we at the halfway mark, we are at the point of Sonnet 80. And that has special meaning for me, because tomorrow, I am 80."

"Thank you for tuning in, and I hope you will do the same tomorrow, and I will try and make the sonnet as cheerful and birthday-like as possible," he adds, before launching into the poem.

The rest of his readings can be found on his Twitter feed, along with the glorious news that he's started work on a memoir.

You really can't fault that man's dedication during a global crisis.

Topics Celebrities

Mashable Image
Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.


Recommended For You
How to download songs from Spotify
The Spotify logo on a completely black phone screen. A pair of white wired earbuds rests on the phone.

Elon Musk's X tests 'adult content' label for X-rated Communities
X logo

How to take a screenshot on a Mac
An out of focus man holding an in focus Macbook.


Best tax software deals: File now to get your taxes out of the way before April 15
By Lauren Allain and Jillian Anthony
A person works on their taxes with a calculator nearby.

More in Life
Celebrate spring blooms with flowery Lego sets on sale for 20% off at Amazon
a woman builds a bouquet of lego flowers




When is the last day to file taxes?
A person at their computer holding a note that reads "tax time."

Trending on Mashable
Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 29
a phone displaying Wordle

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 29
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 28
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'


'3 Body Problem' ending: What does Dr Ye Wenjie's 'joke' about God really mean?
An older woman sits in a room.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!