Sir Ian McKellen talks about having a crush on Sir Derek Jacobi

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The two legendary actors were at university in Cambridge together – before homosexuality was legal.

Sir Ian Mckellen and Sir Derek Jacobi have been friends since their time in Cambridge together.

Sir Ian has often talked about having a crush on his friend during that time. He previously said he had been “desperately in love” and it “was undeclared and unrequited.”

In an interview with the Daily Mail he said: “Yes, I did fancy Derek, but I didn’t act on it, God, no. It was illegal, remember.

“I do get on my high horse about it, because it was so difficult. There were no gay clubs you could go to. No gay bars, no gay newspaper, nothing.

“What there was was a bit sleazy, I suspect. One of the reasons I became an actor was that you could meet gay people.

“Even then everything was difficult. When you went to America they asked, ‘Are you now, or have you ever been, homosexual?’ I lied on the form. It was a different world.”

Sir Derek said in 2013 he had no idea. He said: “He had a candle for me. “I had no idea I was breaking his heart.”

Last year, Sir Derek Jacobi backed a campaign to improve care provision for older members of the LGBT community.

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