Brian Blessed 'collapses' while playing King Lear

Actor Brian Blessed fainted on stage while playing King Lear but returned just 20 minutes later to finish his performance, according to reports.

The 78-year-old was just minutes into his performance of Shakespeare's tragedy when he collapsed on stage and fell from a raised platform.

Fellow actor Noel Write reportedly told the audience: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is not part of the play. Is there a doctor in the house?"

He was examined by a doctor and led off stage to a round of applause.

In his review of the show, Daily Mail critic Quentin Letts reported Blessed returned to the stage 20 minutes later.

Letts said: "After being given a cup of sweetened tea, he returned to the stage after 20 minutes to apologise to the final-preview audience for the interruption."

Blessed reportedly said: "I feel such an idiot and am not in the habit of doing this, but I have little fibrillation."

At the end of performance, he patted his heart and gave a thumbs up gesture, Letts said.