JAMES Bond legend, Sir Roger Moore, has died today at 89.
According to his family, Moore had his last battle with cancer.
Posting on his official Twitter account his family stated: “With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated.”
Newsmakersng learnt that the actor died in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer.
The statement added, “The love which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone.
“We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows, and his passionate work for UNICEF which he considered to be his greatest achievement.”
He was the third actor to play the British secret agent James Bond in seven feature films between 1973 and 1985 and Simon Templar in The Saint between 1962 and 1969.
Moore’s Wikipedia page has also reflected his death today.
The family statement further says: “The affection our father felt whenever he walked on to a stage or in front of a camera buoyed him hugely and kept him busy working into his 90th year, through to his last appearance in November 2016 on stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
“The capacity crowd cheered him on and off stage, shaking the very foundations of the building just a short distance from where he was born.
“Thank you Pops for being you, and for being so very special to so many people.
“Our thoughts must now turn to supporting Kristina at this difficult time, and in accordance with our father’s wishes there will be a private funeral in Monaco.”
The statement was signed off by his three children Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian Moore.
Moore began to play James Bond after Sean Connery and George Lazenby, making his debut as the 007 in Live And Let Die.
His final outing as the spy was in the 1985 movie A View To A Kill, when he was 57-years-old.
Born the son of a poor London policeman from the back streets of Lambeth who grew up to become James Bond and The Saint – as one of the most successful actors of his generation.
And in later life, shocked by the poverty he saw in India, Moore became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, the United Nations’ children’s fund.
More than a billion people saw him play Bond, making him one of the best-known British actors in the world.
He brought a casual air of dashing elegance, sophistication and a surprising iron streak of ruthlessness to his two most famous roles.
At 6ft 2in with pale blue eyes and fair hair, his debonair good looks were ideal for heroic roles.