ACTOR Patrick Stewart, best known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek, is joining staff at Oxford University.

Mr Stewart has been named as the next Cameron Mackintosh visiting professor of contemporary theatre.

Based at St Catherine's College, and succeeding the director Phyllida Lloyd, he will deliver his inaugural lecture in April.

He played the character of Professor Xavier in the films X-Men, and recent television credits include The Simpsons, Frasier and Extras.

Mr Stewart, who is appearing in Anthony and Cleopatra for the Royal Shakespeare Company, has successfully bridged the gap between Shakespearean theatre and science fiction film and television.

Accepting the appointment, Mr Stewart said: "I am honoured, delighted, thrilled to bits and tickled pink."

The Master of St Catherine's College, Prof Roger Ainsworth, said: "I am absolutely delighted to welcome Patrick as the next Cameron Mackintosh Professor.

"It will please an enormous number of people that he has agreed to do this."

Alongside his extensive theatre work, Mr Stewart has had an enormously successful film and television career.

His previous foray into higher education was as the chancellor of Huddersfield University, which immediately saw a rise in applications.

The visiting professorship at Oxford has previously been held by actors, writers, directors, and producers including Stephen Sondheim, Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Sir Richard Eyre, Dame Diana Rigg and Sir Tim Rice.

Born and raised in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, Stewart took up acting at an early age.

At 17, he enrolled at the Bristol Old Vic, and two years later made his professional stage debut at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln, playing Morgan in an adaptation of Treasure Island.