Brian Blessed has added his booming voice to Ricky Gervais’ T-shirt campaign to ban sick trophy hunting.
The bearded national treasure, 87, is joining other celebs including Sharon Osbourne, Lorraine Kelly and Frank Bruno to pose in the limited-edition, eco-friendly designs by the comic.
Stage icon Brian is a lifelong lover of animals and has rescued numerous cats, dogs, horses and ponies, and even a fighting cock over the years.
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The Star Wars actor is particularly fond of big cats and once befriended a black panther who would visit his London home twice a week – to the horror of his petrified housekeeper.
The eight-month old feline called Kali belonged to Brian’s animal trainer pal Adrian Darley, known by his pseudonym Nick Nyoka. Larger-than-life Bri said: “She and I were all over each other like a great big hairy rash.
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“I had her leaping all over me and when I tickled her tummy, she’d look at me with those intense green eyes and then roll over when she’d had enough.
“Nyoka brought Kali to the house at least twice a week and it got to a point when as he arrived he’d just open the back doors and she’d run inside.
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“My housekeeper Mrs Bush never quite got used to her presence and would rush up the stairs shouting: ‘That bloody cat is here again! Get it out, get it out, get it out!’”
The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting aims to raise funds and awareness of the vile pursuit. Stand-up Gervais, 63, said: “There are few things as immoral in the world as shooting an animal just for fun, and then bragging about it.
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“It’s just sickening, cowardly and downright deranged. Elephants are amazing creatures that are very special to me. They are also endangered. That’s why I’ve designed this T-shirt.
“It’s not just American dentists who go around killing for kicks. British trophy hunters are shooting lions and elephants too.
“British trophy hunters are among the worst in the world when it comes to killing elephants. It’s just unbelievable, and it’s got to end right now.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
