Chariots of Fire director Hugh Hudson dies at 86

Chariots of Fire director Hugh Hudson has died aged 86 following a short illness.

His family said in a statement the “beloved husband and father”, died at Charing Cross Hospital in London on Friday.

He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue.

Actor Nigel Havers, who starred in the 1981 film about the story of two British runners in the 1920s, said he was “beyond devastated” by his death.

He added: “Chariots of Fire was one of the greatest experiences of my professional life, and, like so many others, I owe much of what followed to him. I shall miss him greatly.”

The film was nominated for a total of seven Oscars, including a best director nod for Hudson, and won four – best picture, original score, writing and costume design in 1982.

According to the British Film Institute (BFI), it became “one of the decade’s most controversial British films” due to its perception as a “radical indictment of establishment snobbery”.

It is ranked at number 19 on the BFI’s Top 100 British Films.

Born in 1936 in London, Hudson went to boarding school before going on to study at Eton College but he was said to resent his association with the famous school.

After leaving Eton, he entered national service in the Dragoon Guards, and remained in the Army reserve of Officers until being discharged in 1960.

His move to the creative industry came later in the ’60s, working in a London-based advertising firm before going into documentaries and television commercials.

His work brought him to the attention of producer David Puttnam, who would later go on to produce Chariots Of Fire.

News of Hudson’s death comes less than nine months after the death of the film’s composer, Vangelis.

The Greek electronic composer, who took home the Oscar in 1982 for the score to Chariots of Fire, died in May in a French hospital.

Hudson is survived by his wife, former James Bond actress Maryam D’Abo who starred in The Living Daylights.