Brian Blessed has addressed the death of his former colleague Mike Hodges (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX)

Actor Brian Blessed has shared his condolences following Flash Gordon director Mike Hodges’ death.

Hodges died at his home in Dorset on December 17, his longtime friend Mike Kaplan confirmed on Wednesday. 

Blessed was quick to share kind words about his former colleague, hailing both his ‘brilliant imagination’ and ‘powerful personality’.

The British actor, who starred in Hodges’ 1980 cult-classic Flash Gordon, also branded Hodges ‘joyful’ and ‘cheerful’ in his statement. 

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme, Blessed said: ‘[He had] a very powerful personality and a joyful, cheerful, brilliant imagination.

‘[Flash Gordon] is the only film, apart from Henry V with Kenneth Branagh, that I raced to the studio to start filming.’

Hodges died at his home in Dorset on December 17 (Picture: PA)

Blessed starred in Hodges’ 1980 cult-classic Flash Gordon (Picture: Universal/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)

Blessed added: ‘Hodges [had a] brilliant imagination, but his direction – mind-blowing. Great manner, great perception. The film was a breath of fresh air.’

Following its success at the UK box office, Flash Gordon developed a substantial cult following across the globe.

However, Hodges’ directorial debut, Get Carter, was released in 1971 and starred Sir Michael Caine.

Shot on location in the north east of England, the notoriously violent film saw Caine play a  wheeler-dealer named Jack who travelled to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to hunt down the men responsible for killing his brother.

Get Carter is considered one of the greatest British gangster movies of all time and has a 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Hodges again teamed up with Caine for 1972’s critically acclaimed crime-comedy Pulp, before later branching out into the sci-fi genre with his much-loved space opera Flash Gordon.

Hodges again found acclaim with his 2003 effort Croupier, which starred Clive Owen in his breakout role as an aspiring writer who takes a job as a dealer at a gambling den.

Born in Bristol, Hodges was a qualified accountant and spent two years in the Royal Navy on the lower deck of a minesweeper before changing careers.

He got his start in British television on current affairs program World in Action and it was soon after that he landed the gig of directing Sir Michael in 1971.

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Tributes have come in for the filmmaker, with writer and broadcaster Matthew Sweet writing on Twitter: ‘Just heard the news about Mike Hodges. A true master. A furious restless talent. An unassailable body of work. Loved the films. Loved the man.’

Screenwriter Brian Lynch wrote: ‘Mike Hodges, director of FLASH GORDON, has passed. Finally saw this movie during the pandemic and it brought me such joy. Have watched it a bunch of times since. Nothing else like it. Rest in Peace, sir,’ while director Edgar Wright shared an image of Sir Michael and Hodges on set.

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Hodges died earlier this month of heart failure