Ian McKellen fans make Lord of the Rings jokes after actor receives Covid-19 vaccine

‘Covid-19, you shall not pass’

Lord of the Rings fans have started cracking jokes after it was announced that Sir Ian McKellen has received a vaccine for Covid-19.

McKellen, 81, played the role of the wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s beloved fantasy film adaptations, later reprising the role in the Hobbit trilogy.

The actor was among the very first group of high-risk people to receive the UK’s new vaccine, describing the moment as “special”.

On social media, many fans of McKellen made the same joke, alluding to the actor’s best-known scene in Lord of the Rings.

In the first film, The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf is seen taking a stand on a bridge to prevent the monstrous Balrog from crossing.

As the Balrog threatens him and the Fellowship, Gandalf bellows: “You shall not pass.” The line is one of the film’s most-cited quotes.

People repeated the line in the wake of McKellen’s vaccination, with many writing variations of: “You shall not pass, Covid.”

“Sir Ian McKellen has had the Covid-19 vaccine,” joked one person. “At least if he has a test in the future it’ll hopefully save them having to tell him ‘you shall not pass’.”

“YOU SHALL NOT PASS... your infection on to me,” quipped someone else.

The vaccine will be offered more widely “as soon as possible”, according to the NHS. 

Currently, the order in which people are offered the vaccine is based on advice from the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation).