Christopher 'Scaramanga' Lee to receive top BAFTA award

Sir Christopher Lee is being presented with a top award at the BAFTA ceremony in London on Sunday, reports Sky News.

The 88-year-old is receiving the Academy Fellowship in recognition of his outstanding and exceptional contribution to film.

Previous recipients include Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench. Last year's winner was Vanessa Redgrave.

Chairman Tim Corrie said of Lee: "He has entertained me over many years and is a bastion of British filmmaking around the globe."

The Lord Of The Rings star said it was a "very unexpected, but very great honour" to be receiving the award.

Lee, who was knighted in 2009 for his services to drama and charity, has appeared in nearly 200 films.

He became a star in 1957 when playing the creature in The Curse Of Frankenstein.

Lee appeared in numerous other Hammer horror films, most notably playing Count Dracula, and was the villain in the James Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun.

He cemented his fame when he starred as Saruman in Peter Jackon's Lord Of The Rings trilogy, and appeared as Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequels.

He has also worked with Tim Burton on movies including Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Alice In Wonderland and Corpse Bride.

His future projects include Martin Scorsese's Hugo Cabret, which will see him appear alongside Jude Law, Chloe Moretz and Sacha Baron Cohen.

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