Ken Loach, 86, says new film may be his last: ‘I’m not sure I can get around the court again’

‘It’s like an old nag at the Grand National. You think, “Good God, I’ll be falling at the first fence!”’ director said

Ken Loach has said that his forthcoming film could be his last due to his old age.

The Kes director, 86, will release his new project The Old Oak later this year.

In a new interview, Loach said that the film may be his final movie, however, due to effects of age such as his memory and deteriorating eyesight.

“Realistically, it would be hard to do a feature film again,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “Films take a couple of years and I’ll be nearly 90. And your facilities do decline. Your short-term memory goes and my eyesight is pretty rubbish now, so it’s quite tricky.

“I’m just not sure I can get around the court again. It’s like an old nag at the Grand National. You think, ‘Good God, I’ll be falling at the first fence!’”

Loach said that he didn’t struggle making The Old Oak, but added that the “nervous emotional energy” needed to sustain momentum on shoot had become harder to do “with good humour”.

However, he did go into production on the film, which stars Debbie Honeywood and Ebla Mari, knowing it would likely be his last.

The Old Oak centres around the last pub in a former mining village in the north-east of England and tensions within the community following the arrival of a group of Syrian refugees.

Loach’s new film is released later this year (Getty Images)

Loach previously “retired” from filmmaking in 2014, with his 2014 film Jimmy’s Hall being billed as his final feature film at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.

However, he returned in 2016 following the re-election of the Conservatives in 2015, releasing his criticism of the UK benefits system I, Daniel Blake.

Loach has said that he may still work on documentaries with his long-time collaborator Paul Laverty, as “that wouldn’t so absolutely overwhelming” and “you wouldn’t have to that massive casting”.