Editing Brian Blessed (section)

==Personal life==

In 1963, Blessed, then in his late 20s, assisted a mother giving birth in [[Richmond Park]], London. He delivered the healthy baby girl, then bit through the umbilical cord.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brian Blessed speaks candidly about the day he helped a woman deliver her baby|url=https://www.magicmum.com/brian-blessed-speaks-candidly-about-the-day-he-helped-a-woman-deliver-her-baby/|access-date=26 October 2020|website=MagicMum.com|date=7 October 2015 }}</ref> He later recounted, "I was covered in blood, my shirt was covered in blood, I was wrapping her, wiping her, [saying] 'it's all right, darling'.... And I was licking the baby's face."<ref>{{cite news|first=Sebastian|last=Mann|date=7 October 2015|title=Brian Blessed: I chewed through an umbilical cord while delivering a baby in Richmond Park|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/brian-blessed-i-chewed-through-umbilical-cord-to-deliver-baby-in-richmond-park-a3084591.html|access-date=26 October 2020|newspaper=[[Evening Standard]]}}</ref>

Blessed's first marriage was to the American actress and Egyptologist<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DXVMAAAAYAAJ&q=ann+bomann+actress |title=Country Life |date=1978 |publisher=Country Life, Limited }}</ref> Ann Bomann, whom he met in Bristol. They had a daughter together, Catherine, but later divorced.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=31 July 2023 |title=Brian Blessed: He tells a good tale, and it's all in the delivery |newspaper= [[The Times]]|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/brian-blessed-he-tells-a-good-tale-and-its-all-in-the-delivery-kg8scrbw588 |access-date=1 August 2023 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> Blessed was then married to actress [[Hildegarde Neil]] from 1978 until Neil's death in 2023. Their daughter, Rosalind, is an actress.<ref name="whoswho">{{cite book |title=The International Who's Who 2004: 2004 |last=Sleeman |first=Elizabeth |year=2003 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |location=Abingdon, England|isbn=978-1-85743-217-6 |page=176 |edition=67th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9drlYR0YUgAC&q=%22brian+blessed%22+Zimmermann&pg=PA176}}</ref>

Blessed lives in [[Windlesham]], [[Surrey]].<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/brian-blessed-windlesham-village-shops-24181284 | title= Surrey village with 'excellent shops' where Brian Blessed says the people are lovely | work=SurreyLive | first=David | last=Bradshaw |date=11 June 2022 | access-date=17 August 2024}}</ref> He owns several dogs and is a patron of the charity Pet Respect.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://petrespect.org.uk/brian-blessed-obe/|title=Our New Patron, Brian Blessed OBE &#124; Pet Respect|first=Glen|last=Hartley|accessdate=30 October 2022}}</ref> In 2011, he became a patron for Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in [[Brentwood, Essex]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hopefield.org.uk/patrons-and-trustees/|title=Hopefield Patrons and Trustees|publisher=Hopefield Animal Sanctuary|access-date=18 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204174318/http://www.hopefield.org.uk/patrons-and-trustees/|archive-date=4 December 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Blessed is a black belt in [[judo]].<ref name="Scott 2017 h721">{{cite web | last=Scott | first=Danny | title=My hols: Brian Blessed | website=The Times & The Sunday Times | date=1 July 2017 | url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/my-hols-brian-blessed-8b7gpsfn2 | access-date=6 October 2023}}</ref>

===Health===
Blessed suffered a [[nervous breakdown]] at age 18. He eventually recovered with the support of friends, family, and his speech teacher.<ref>{{cite news| title=The other Brian Blessed|website=Deskarati|url=https://deskarati.com/2011/08/16/the-other-brian-blessed/| date=16 August 2011|access-date=4 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Brian Blessed – My Yorkshire|url=http://my-yorkshire.co.uk/people/brian-blessed.html| access-date=4 December 2019}}</ref>

On 19 January 2015, Blessed collapsed on stage during a performance of ''[[King Lear]]'' with the Guildford Shakespeare Company, in which his daughter Rosalind was also acting. He received medical attention from a doctor in the audience and returned to the stage to complete the play 20 minutes later.<ref name="BBC News 21 Jan 2015">{{cite news| title= Brian Blessed collapses on stage – but returns to finish show|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30912506| date=21 January 2015| work= BBC News | access-date=21 January 2015}}</ref> On 30 January 2015, it was announced that Blessed had been "compelled to withdraw" from the production on the advice of his heart specialist.<ref name="BBC News 30 January 2015">{{cite web | title= Brian Blessed pulls out of King Lear on doctor's orders |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31066689| author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->| date= 30 January 2015| website= BBC News | access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref> He has been fitted with a [[pacemaker]].<ref name=picasso />

===Honours===
He has [[honorary degree]]s from the [[University of Bradford]] (awarded July 2003) and [[Sheffield Hallam University]] (awarded 2004) and has also been awarded the honorary title of "Official Shoutsperson" by the [[University of York]]'s [[Douglas Adams]] Society.<ref name="dougsoc"/>

In 2011, the student union at the University of York voted to name a new study area the "Brian Blessed Centre for Quiet Study".<ref>{{cite web |first=Hoagy |last=Davis-Digges |url=http://www.nouse.co.uk/2011/01/25/ugm-sees-highest-voting-numbers-since-2008/ |title=Union General Meeting Sees Highest Voting Numbers Since 2008 |publisher=Nouse.co.uk |date=25 January 2011 |access-date=8 July 2011}}</ref> The same year, Blessed was nominated for the post of [[List of Chancellors of the University of Cambridge|chancellor]] of the [[University of Cambridge]], following a campaign by graduates.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-13640487 |title=Brian Blessed Bids to be Cambridge Chancellor |date=3 June 2011 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 April 2013}}</ref> He was later awarded Honorary Membership of the [[Cambridge Union]] in recognition of his nomination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/events/1007395339324054|title=Brian Blessed {{!}} Week 08 {{!}} Cambridge Union|website=www.facebook.com|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref>

Blessed was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[2016 Birthday Honours]] for services to the arts and charity.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=61608 |supp=y|page=B11|date=11 June 2016}}</ref>