Chariots of Fire comes home to Burghley to celebrate inspirational summer of sports

Iconic British movie Chariots of Fire is set for an Olympic year re-release in UK cinemas while a new stage show lights up the West End but the Oscarwinning drama is also set for Big Screen stardom at the ancestral home of one of its sporting inspirations. More than three decades after scooping four Oscars, Chariots of Fire will be rereleased in more than 100 UK cinemas from 13 July. And the drama about two British sprinters competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics has also now been adapted for the stage, winning rave reviews ahead of its London West End opening at the end of June. But as Britain gears up for a summer of celebration, one of the most scenic and fitting venues to watch the smash-hit movie must be at Englands greatest Elizabethan house. Burghley, near Stamford in Lincolnshire, was home to an Olympic Gold Medal winning athlete who was the inspiration behind one of the key characters from Chariots of Fire, Lord Andrew Lindsay played by Nigel Havers. So, fittingly, Chariots of Fire will launch a series of summer evening outdoor movie presentations at the end of July. With the Elizabethan house as the backdrop, Burghleys picturesque South Gardens will host a Big Screen showing TV coverage of the Olympic Games during the day, but also hosting four special Movie Nights. Nigel Havers character Lord Lindsey was loosely based on hurdler David Cecil, Lord Burghley (1905-1981), one of the golden athletes of his generation, who won gold for the 400 metres hurdles at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and silver in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics 4x400 metre relay.

As well as being one of the prime movers behind the 1948 London Games effectively the Lord Coe of his day he was one of Britains sporting characters. He trained by balancing matchboxes on top of the hurdles and this colourful behaviour was reflected in the character of Andrew Lindsay in the film, although producers replaced matchboxes with glasses of champagne. A famous scene in the movie was also inspired by one of Lord Burghleys feats the race around the Great Court at Trinity College, Cambridge, against fellow athletes, when he became the only person to sprint around the courtyard before the college clock tolled 12 times. His other athletic achievements included the record for running a quarter mile round the promenade deck of the Queen Mary - for the record, he did it in 58 seconds, dressed in formal evening wear, in March 1936. Chariots of Fire launches Burghleys summer evening festival of outdoor screenings on Saturday 28th July starting at 7pm. It will be followed by three other movie screenings, Keira Knightleys Pride & Prejudice partly filmed at Burghley, which portrayed Rosings in the acclaimed cinema adaptation - on Wednesday 1st August, The Full Monty (rated 15) on Thursday 2nd August and Mamma Mia! on Friday 3rd August. Tickets, which can be booked online, are priced at Adult: 6.00; Child: 4.00; Family (2 adults, 2 children 3-15): 20.00. For full details and to book tickets visit www.burghley.co.uk