Doncaster acting legend Brian Blessed reveals he punched polar bear on "f****** nose'

The 88-year-old Mexborough-born star revealed details of the unlikely encounter in a podcast.

The "Gordon’s Alive" actor and explorer was asleep in his tent on a trek across the North Pole when the giant creature woke him up.

Other camp members rushed to help him with rifles at the ready to shoot what is one of the most dangerous breeds of bear on Earth.

But booming-voiced Brian instructed them to hold their fire while he took on the potential killer face-to-face.

He shouted at the bear before landing a punch on its snout.

Speaking on the We Can Be Weirdos podcast Brian said: "It was our magnetic pole expedition. We're in there at night getting near the pole.

“We've been followed by bears. It's their kingdom. She came close. She was very big. And she ripped open the tent one night.

"I said: 'Nobody shoots them. Don't you f****** dare.’ And so, and he came close. "I hit him straight on the f****** nose. And it ran off.’’

Brian, who starred in 1980 comic movie space opera Flash Gordon, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and smash hit TV comedy Blackadder, has worked with animals all his life and been involved with conservation projects to protect wild gorillas and orangutans.

He said he has always felt close to nature and believes he has more in common with animals than many people. The actor, who said late Queen Elizabeth II was among legions of fans to demand he uttered his famous sci-fi movie catchphrase "Gordon’s alive", could not stand to see any animal shot.

"I have worked a tremendous amount with gorillas and orangutans and all kinds of creatures and protecting them,’’ he said.

"My physique is very gorilla. I like my physique. I don't want to be long and thin. I like what I am - Rocky Marciano. I've got on well with all the wild creatures because of my love for them. I've kept them and looked after them and so forth. I've always got on so bloody well with animals, left, right and centre, you know? Which is quite terrific."

One of Britain’s biggest and best known stars, he has appeared in a host of movies and hit TV shows and is known around the globe for his larger than life persona.

The son of William Blessed, a miner at Hickleton Main and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born at Montagu Hospital in Mexborough on October 9, 1936 and attended Bolton on Dearne Secondary Modern School, but was forced to leave at the age of 15 after his father suffered an industrial accident.

He then spent several years working in a number of jobs, ranging from an undertaker to a plasterer’s assistant.

He started drama training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where his contemporaries included Patrick Stewart, and then found fame as PC “Fancy” Smith in the BBC TV series Z-Cars, between 1962 and 1965.

More TV roles followed in The Avengers, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Doctor Who while on stage he starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats.

One of his best remembered roles was as Prince Vultan in the 1980 film Flash Gordon for which he is frequently remembered for the exclamation “Gordon’s alive!”

He also appeared as Richard IV in the first series of Blackadder while to younger viewers he is known as the voice of Grampy Rabbit in Peppa Pig.

He has also attempted to climb Mount Everest three times but without ever reaching the summit and has also trekked to the North Pole on foot, as well as a number of other expeditions away from the silver screen.