Sir Roger Moore, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre - review and pictures

And at the age of 89 he still has all the charm and sophistication that has enamoured fans over 70 years in show business.

He took to the stage at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre with no major fanfare to polite applause on a dreary Thursday afternoon. But looking dapper in a double breasted navy suit jacked with four golden buttons adorning his cuffs, he looked up and announced in his trademark fluid delivery: "Thank you and goodnight."

As we would learn – the great man loves a joke.

"You've never been to Wolverhampton before have you?" asked compere Gareth Owen.

"No," said Sir Roger.

"But I did appear in a Banks's Bitter advert. It was shot in Dublin."

No wonder there was no problem selling tickets – VIP packages costing £125 sold out within hours of going on sale – he is one of his own.

And reputedly his mom, Lillian Pope, lived up the road in Cannock for a time.

But this was no ceremonious homecoming.

A little bit of Hollywood had come to Wolverhampton.

Bond, James Bond was in town.

See Roger Moore in the trailer for 1979 Bond film Moonraker here:

And not just any James Bond – the man who played the super spy a record seven times over 12 years in iconic and defining 007 films such as Live And Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, Octopussy, and For Your Eyes Only.

But just how did he end up in the iconic role? Auditions? Casting calls?

"I had known the producers Cubby (Broccoli) and Harry (Saltzman) for years. We were gamblers back in the good old days," he said, raising that signature left eyebrow with a smirk on his face.

"I had just moved house and I don't know if they still do this but back then you would inherit the phone number and mine was Denham (Buckinghamshire) 2-007.

"Yes, really 007. The phone rang one night and I answered ' hello, 007 here'.

"The reply came 'oh yes I want you'.

See Roger Moore in the For Your Eyes Only trailer back in 1981 here:

"It was Cubby."

Sir Roger went on to be one of the most successful and best-loved Bonds ever.

But his career started back in London during the Second World War when he was at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

And where his close association with beautiful women started.

"There were 16 girls and just four boys because of the war," he said with a telling smile.

"And three of the boys were a bit...you know," he added shaking his hand side-to-side.

"I learnt a lot about sex but b***** all about acting."

Conscription came and went and he started to make a name for himself in acting circles – making trips across the pond and signing a deal with MGM studios.

He would then hit our screens in Ivanhoe, Maverick, The Saint and The Pretenders before Her Majesty's Secret Service would come calling.

Asked what he would have done had he not been an actor?

"Starved," came the quick-witted reply.

His favourite Bond gadget? "It has to be the magnetic watch of course," he said with a mischievous look on his face. You know, the one that undid women's dresses."

And on the subject of gadgets Sir Roger also revealed that while on set he loved nothing more playing tricks on the legendary Desmond Llewelyn who played Q.

"He was brilliantly at learning his scripts and on the day of shooting I would get one of the girls to give him new lines. We'd start filming and he would be all over the place trying to juggle these lines. Eventually the whole crew would be laughing and he would realise that I had done him. Again."

And of course, the question on the lips of every man in the audience, who was his favourite Bond girl?

"Favourite! I don't have favourites when it comes to women," he said sitting proud.

"I have one favourite and she is sat up there," he said pointing to his wife in the balcony. As smooth as ever, Mr Bond.

By Rob Golledge