Australian actor George Lazenby during the filming of the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969. Photo / Getty Images
Australian actor George Lazenby during the filming of the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969. Photo / Getty Images
James Bond has officially announced his retirement - or rather one star who portrayed the famous character has.
Australian actor George Lazenby, who was the world’s second official 007 in the 1969 film James Bond: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, has taken to social media to reveal he is retiring from life in the public eye.
Admitting it “hasn’t been an easy decision”, the 84-year-old said on Instagram, “it’s time to announce my retirement from work”.
He added, “Therefore, I won’t be doing any more acting or making public appearances, doing any more interviews or signing any more autographs as of today.
“It’s been a fun ride but getting older is no fun. I would like to thank my manager and friend, Anders Frejdh, for helping me since 2013 - the best representative I ever had.
“I can now concentrate on spending more time with my family. My sincere gratitude to everyone out there for your love and support over the years. It has meant a lot to me. George xx.”
Lazenby was rushed to hospital in November after suffering a fall which resulted in a head injury. The Sun reported the star had been admitted to a nursing home in his permanent residence in California after the fall but in December had returned to his own home.
Australian actor George Lazenby as James Bond in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1969. Photo / Getty Images
The actor, who grew up in New South Wales, landed his first big role as Bond in the 1969 film, alongside Diana Rigg.
Landing the top spot at the US Box Office and grossing US$1.2 million ($2m) in its first week, the film was surrounded by drama. Just prior to its release, Lazenby announced that he would not return to the role, claiming his contract was too demanding.
Despite the announcement, the actor did appear at the London world premiere of the film however it was with a full beard and shoulder-length hair. The Daily Mirror reported he looked “very un-Bond-like” and sources claimed at the time that it resulted in a further strain on “his already fragile relationship with [Harry] Saltzman and [Albert] Broccoli” - the producers of the film.
Becoming the only star to play the character once, the production went on to receive mixed reviews, with many critics announcing they did not enjoy the film, or Lazenby’s portrayal of Bond.
However, more recent reviews have resulted in many Bond fans rating the film as their personal favourite according to a poll run by 007 Magazine in 2012.
In the years after Bond, Lazenby struggled to land acting roles due to a reputation in the industry of being “very arrogant”.
But he worked hard to overcome the title and would star in a handful of productions including Hawaii Five-O, Saint Jack and multiple Australian drama series.
