Outspoken gay Lord of the Rings star Sir Ian McKellen says he has received death threats in the past because of his sexuality.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the actor said, however, that the number of threats had "declined considerably" in recent years.

"I think I've become rather boring to the public at large on this particular issue," he said.

Sir Ian is supporting gay US bishop Gene Robinson, who has been excluded from an Anglican Church convention.

Sir Ian told the BBC that, like Bishop Robinson, he had received death threats - and argued that Britain was still intolerant of homosexuality.

"There are deaths in public places on the grounds that the victim is gay," he said. "There is violence of language which can be related to violence in action."

A video featuring Sir Ian McKellen and Bishop Gene Robinson is on the link below.