On 31 May, it was announced that over the preceding Bank Holiday weekend, a Facebook campaign by Cambridge graduates to draft veteran Shakespearean actor Brian Blessed as a candidate had resulted in the necessary 50 signatures being generated. Blessed was then approached, and released a statement on 2 June that he was absolutely staggered by the nomination, but that he was delighted to accept, stating in his acceptance letter, For me, Cambridge has always been the centre of the earth, there is a brightness and light there that rivals that on Mount Everest. The University buildings are architecturally beautiful, the whole setting is wonderful and enchants the soul. I am thrilled to be asked and wish you every success with the campaign. Blessed later added, To me, being the next Chancellor of Cambridge University would be a miracle, because I'm the son of a coal miner, and he pledged to be an active Chancellor, remarking, I'd like to inspire them to do expeditions all over the world. I would love to join them in expeditions, and promote adventure, adventure, adventure: I think the key to the new millennium is adventure. And it is that that I want to urge; and the university has so many projects, so many enterprises, so many departments, it makes my hair stand on end at the prospect of working with them. A poll in The Tab amongst their student readers (few of whom can vote) found Blessed to be the overwhelming favourite amongst students, polling 63.2%, compared to 13.5% for none of the candidates, 10% for Abdul Arain, and 5.7% for Lord Sainsbury, with 7.7% voting I don't care.