Sir Patrick Stewart has told of how he mistakenly thought he was circumcised for much of his life, until a doctor told him he was not.

The actor, 76, long believed he had undergone the procedure as a youngster, but that an intimate moment with his wife led to him getting checked out by a medical professional for clarification.

During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Sir Patrick said: "One night with my wife, as you do, we were talking about stuff and I mentioned my circumcision and she said: 'You're not circumcised.'

"I said, 'What do you mean? That's ridiculous, I should know. All my life my mother has told me it was fashionable at the time.'"