Peter Mayhew and Harrison Ford attending the Star Wars: The Force Awakens European Premiere (Anthony Devlin/PA)
(Picture: PA Archive)An auction of Star Wars memorabilia left in a loft by Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew has been cancelled with the lots returned to his widow after she pleaded for it to be stopped.
Items including scripts from the legendary science fiction films were set to be sold on behalf of a couple who found them quarter of a century after Mr Mayhew moved out.
Angie Mayhew said her late husband, who was 7ft 3ins and suffered from limited mobility, found it “impossible to get into the attic to get the rest of these memories” when they moved.
Mrs Mayhew, who runs a charitable foundation named after her husband, said: “It really breaks my heart to see our belongings auctioned off like this.”
When we moved out of this house Peter's movement challenges made it impossible for him to get into the attic to get the rest of these memories. It really breaks my heart to see our belongings auctioned off like this by @angusashworth and @RyedaleAuction1. ~Angie Mayhew https://t.co/9dql4g22Wa
— Peter Mayhew Foundation (@TheWookieeRoars) February 8, 2023
She said leaving the items was one of her husband’s “biggest regrets” and auctioneer Angus Ashworth said he was “happy” to return the items.
He said: “The monetary value of the lot is fairly modest, but knowing how much it means to the foundation and given that it had been in the attic for over 24 years the vendors are happy to donate it to the foundation to have permanently within their personal collection, not for profit, so that fans can access it in perpetuity.”
Mr Mayhew died aged 74 in 2019.
He played Chewbacca in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi returned for the sequels Revenge Of The Sith in 2005 and The Force Awakens 10 years later before handing the role to Finnish actor Joonas Suotamo.
