Roger Moore interview: 'If I had 24 hours to live, I'd make a dry martini As well as his work on The Saint (1962-69) and The Persuaders (1971-72) for television, a significant proportion of his new show is about his Bond years. Moore remembers the role fondly, even though he didn't like the noise and whizz-bangs on set and, surprisingly for someone who once was a keen skier and tennis player, he didn't do his own stunts but was "very, very good at getting people to look like me." He says he gave up skiing some years ago, "when I found it difficult getting up again," and he no longer plays tennis. But he doesn't dwell on his fading athleticism. I thought I could never go a day without playing tennis, but when the knees start going and the aim isn't so good, what's the point? Oh God, I'm really decrepit - it sounds like I'm doing the tour to say my farewell. In fact, tanned and dressed in an open-necked white shirt, he looks in very good nick. Does he do anything to keep fit these days? "I do bugger all - but I did so much exercise when I was young that I think that stands me in good stead," he replies. Plus there is a bit of longevity in my family and I don't put weight on. Does he miss living the high life? No, but if I was told I had 24 hours to live I would have a dry martini, made with Tanqueray gin and three olives on the side. Fill in your own shaken but not stirred line here... Moore is still a keen fan of the Bond franchise and has spoken of his "tremendous pride" when the incumbent, Daniel Craig, appeared with the Queen as part of the Olympics opening ceremony last year. "I thought: 'What other series of films would be able to get the Queen to agree to appear?"" He credits the brand's enduring popularity to its fairy-tale quality. There's a castle somewhere and someone needs to be rescued, and Bond will be in danger, but the audience knows he will survive after getting into some wonderful scrapes. It has cars, gadgets, beautiful women, humour - a very potent mix. Moore is very complimentary about Craig's Bond (although he says Connery has been the best so far) and, while having some reservations about Craig's first two outings - in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace - both of which "missed some elements," he raves about last year's Skyfall, directed by Sam Mendes. "Skyfall was marvellous, the best Bond film ever made," Moore says. Technically and visually, it was stunning, while Bond's relationship with M [played by Judi Dench] was quite wonderful and very moving. I thought everything about it was terrific and I was delighted that it won a couple of Oscars. Craig's Bond has a rather more complex relationship with women than Moore's did. How does he think his suave but no-less-sexy agent - who went through women at a rate of knots - would be perceived today? "I think he would be looked at with pity, and considered an ignorant so-and-so," says Moore. Roger Moore with Britt Ekland in 1974's The Man With The Golden Gun Bond films are famous for their hi-tech hardware and, as we are speaking via Skype, I ask Moore if he is a fan of modern technology. "Oh yes, I love gadgets," he says, waving his hand around his office in Monaco. You can see I have a laptop, a desktop and an iPhone, and they're all on cloud. In fact we're interrupted by his iPhone beeping with a reminder for a daily task. I love it, this wonderful little thing with so much in it, it's incredible. My iPhone has become rather precious because of all my music on it; every night we set it for 20 minutes before we fall asleep to listen to some Mozart. Moore was born in south London, where his father was a policeman and his mother a housewife. Although he politely corrects my description of him as politically engaged - "I'm ethically engaged, there's a difference" - he's a Conservative who has declared support for David Cameron's position on Europe, branding the Prime Minister's critics on the issue as "traitors." Talking of traitors, I ask what he thinks of the actions of Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning and Edward Snowden. Is it ever justified for a spy to give away secrets? Selling your country's secrets is always wrong. Why is Russia so happy to take him [Snowden] in? Is it because he's got something on them, because if he does, I rather suspect they're going to kill him. Back to lighter fare, and I can't resist asking if Moore, like so many celebrities, bought his Spitting Image puppet, with its creaking wooden eyebrows. "No," he says, "but I would love it." He continues: "The eyebrows thing was my own fault. I was talking about how talentless I was and said I have three expressions - eyebrow up, eyebrow down and both of them at the same time. And they used it - very well, I must say. An Audience With Sir Roger Moore" is touring through November, starting at Leeds Grand Theatre on October 27. For details, click here