Zoë reflects on her late, great friend Sir Patrick Stewart

1 November 2026 17:50

Zoë has spoken to Times Radio about her great fondness and admiration for the iconic Shakespearean and Star Trek actor Sir Patrick Stewart, who died on 28 October aged 86. Her interview with broadcaster Guto Harri begins about six-and-a-half minutes into the video on the Times Radio YouTube channel, an extract from the Times Radio Breakfast show.

As she explains, Patrick Stewart was part of a ‘whole generation of actors that I watched and aspired to [be like]’ when embarking on her own acting career in the 1970s. He and Zoë became great friends during their time together at the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 70s and early 80s. She emphasised that Stewart enriched her understanding of Shakespeare’s language and her appreciation for being part of a company of actors – ‘a group of people with the same ideas’, in Zoë’s words.

At one stage, Zoë and Patrick Stewart were flatmates in Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, where the RSC is based. ‘He had a great sense of fun, as well as seriousness,’ she recalled. Thanks to his generosity of spirit and ‘knowledge of plays, of language, and his understanding of language’, Zoë learned a great deal from him. In particular, she praised her friend’s ability to ‘inhabit’ roles fully.

Their friendship continued to flourish over the years; indeed, their strong bond is clear in the lovely photo Stewart shared of himself with Zoë at the launch of his bestselling memoir, Making It So, on his Instagram profile in 2023. Elsewhere on Instagram, Sini Downing, who works in audio production, shared a sweet memory of them being ‘delighted to see each other’ when they found themselves recording voiceovers at the same studio.

RIP Sir Patrick Stewart

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