Patrick Stewart has announced his retirement from the X-Men franchise.

The actor, who plays Professor Charles Xavier in the superhero film series, has revealed that his appearance in new movie Logan will be the last time he plays the mutant leader.

Patrick Stewart Patrick Stewart has retired from the X Men franchise 

Appearing on SiriusXM’s ‘Town Hall’ alongside co-star Hugh Jackman and Logan director and co-writer James Mangold, Stewart recalled watching the film with his two friends at a screening last week in Berlin. “I was so moved by it, much more moved than I had been the first time of seeing it,” he said.

“Maybe it was the company of these two guys, but the movie ended and, this is an admission, but at one point Hugh reached out, and he took my hand in those last few minutes, and I saw him go (mimes wiping a tear from his eye) like this, and then I realised I had just done the same thing.

“Then, the movie ended… and we were going to be taken up on stage, but not until the credits were over. So, we had some time to sit there and, as I sat there I realised there will never be a better, a more perfect, a more sensitive, emotional, and beautiful way of saying au revoir to Charles Xavier than this movie.

“So, I told Hugh that same evening, ‘I’m done too. It’s all over.’” Stewart first played Professor X in 2000’s X-Men and went on to star in X-Men 2, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Wolverine and 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past.

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Earlier this week the actor also made headlines when he revealed he had believed he was circumcised for most of his life, until his wife told him otherwise. Appearing on ‘The Graham Norton Show’, Stewart 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.’ I happened to be seeing my doctor the next day for a check-up so while he was down there I said, ‘By the way, my wife and I have had a little disagreement, I am circumcised, aren’t I?’”

"He took a closer look and said: ‘No! I am Jewish, and definitely know the difference!’” After the admission, the actor, who has been married to wife Sunny Ozell 2013, added: “Oh no, my grandchildren will be watching this!”.