Lord of the Rings' Ian McKellen has planned his funeral

Actor Sir Ian McKellen. Photo / Getty Images

Veteran actor Sir Ian McKellen admits he has already prepared his memorial service.

The Lord of the Rings and X-Men star turned 76 last month and is acutely aware of his mortality because he has seen many friends die in recent years.

McKellen says he decided to put preparations in place for his death by drawing up a running order for his memorial service, which he hopes will take place in a large theatre.

The memorial schedule concludes with this message to mourners: "I'm sorry to be missing this show!"

McKellen has told British newspaper The Daily Telegraph that he knows he is old.

"The thing they never tell you - perhaps because it's so blazingly obvious - is that when you get to 76 you know you're old, you know you're mortal because your friends die. It's obvious. They die every week... So I think we'd better have a dress rehearsal before I actually (die)," he told the publication.

"If it happens now I'll be, 'Oh bugger!' I had a friend and I held his hand when we said goodbye. He said: 'I don't want to miss anything.' And that's what I feel."

- WENN