Sir Ian McKellen has received the COVID-19 vaccine at Queen Mary’s University Hospital in London.

In a statement obtained by the BBC, he said: “Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations.”

The veteran actor shared the news on Twitter, saying “I feel very lucky to have had the vaccine. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone.”

I feel very lucky to have had the vaccine. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone. https://t.co/gBLRR0OeJc

— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) December 17, 2020

Sir Ian McKellen called the vaccination, administered by GP Dr Phil Bennett-Richards “painless” and “convenient”, recalling it was “a very special day”.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock had previously said that the approval of the coronavirus vaccine would result in “a summer that everybody can enjoy” in 2021.

“2020 has been just awful and 2021 is going to better,” he said. “Help is on its way with its vaccine. We can now say that with certainty, as opposed to all the caveats that I usually have to put around that.”

He added: “We’re going to have a summer next year that everybody can enjoy. Between now and then we’ve got to hold our resolve. We passed the tiering arrangements through the Commons with a big majority last night. Let’s all respect the restrictions we have to live our lives in for now.”

In other vaccine news, it was revealed recently that Dolly Parton donated $1 million of her own money to aid research by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center since the start of the pandemic.

The Vanderbilt research subsequently played a key role in the development of a vaccine from U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna.