Sir Ian McKellen says used to get gay death threats

British actor Sir Ian McKellen said on Sunday he used to receive death threats due to his homosexuality and while these had fallen off in recent years, others were still being subjected to homophobia.

"There are deaths in public places on the grounds that the victim is gay," said McKellen in a BBC interview.

"There is a violence of language which can be related to violence in action," added McKellen a founder member of gay rights group Stonewall.

"My own death threats have declined considerably. I think I've become rather boring now to the public at large on this particular issue so I'm thought to be unremarkable."

Ian McKellen says used to get gay death threats
Reuters UK, UK -