Bond legend Sir Roger Moore has died aged 89
after 'short but brave' battle with cancer
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Sir Roger Moore has passed away at the age of 89. The Bond legend's family revealed that the actor died after a 'short but brave' battle with cancer in Switzerland. In a statement announcing the star's death, Sir Roger's family said that the star had been 'surrounded' by love in his final days.

It added: 'It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our loving father has passed away today in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer. 'The love with which he has surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone.'

The star's family - including his children Deborah, Geoffrey and Cristian - revealed his funeral will take place in Monaco, where he lived with fourth wife Kristina Tholstrup.

The statement added: '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.'

Speaking about the beloved actor's biggest achievements, they reveal that he found his charity work for UNICEF to be his life's most rewarding word. 

'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,' the statement adds.

'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 latest 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 before being so very special to so many people.' 

Moore enjoyed a stellar showbusiness career spanning over six decades, but he will be forever best known for being the longest-running actor to play suave super-spy 007. 

He played James Bond for 12 years and seven films to his credit, starting with 1973's Live and Let Die.

But the ever-modest actor put his success down to sheer luck 'and a miniscule bit of talent'.

Promoting his second memoir, One Lucky Bastard, just four years ago, he claimed that he was simply in the right place.

'When I started 70 odd years ago I was told that to be a success you've got to have talent, personality and luck,' he told FOX411.

'I've had 99.9 percent luck and the other miniscule percentage would be having had the luck to have a little bit of talent, being able to stand upright and that's it. It's all luck.

'It's no good being the best actor in the world if nobody sees you because you didn't happen to be there at the right day when a part was being cast.'

And despite his more than a decade in the role, Sir Roger rates himself as the fourth best Bond.

The self-effacing actor claimed he came 'a little bit behind George Lazenby.'

The celebrity made his debut as Bond in Live And Let Die in 1973 and went on to star in The Man With The Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983) and A View To A Kill (1985).