His Dumbledore role was memorable to him for a very odd reason...

Despite his extensive credits, the four-time BAFTA winner is probably best best known to younger audiences as the wizard headmaster Albus Dumbledore, who he played in six 'Harry Potter' films.

And the fantasy role - which he took over from Richard Harris after he died in 2002 aged 72 - was memorable to Gambon because of the "comfortable" costume.

He said: "I can't remember any of the films I've done. You go from one to the other and they all blend into a big mass. I remember 'Harry Potter' because of the costume I wore, just two layers of silk and carpet slippers. Very comfortable."