Sean Connery's phone hacked, says biographer The Oscar-winning actor, a friend of the First Minister and the SNP's most high-profile supporter, has been informed that the Murdoch media empire illegally accessed his voicemail messages around ten times. Joan McAlpine, his parliamentary aide, also had her phone hacked as did Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale, his Labour predecessor as First Minister. Mr Salmond has said he will not reveal whether he was targeted until his appearance before the Leveson inquiry in two weeks but he has defended being the world's only political leader still enjoying a close relationship with Mr Murdoch. Speaking about the hacking of Sir Sean's phone, Mr Grigor said: "Apparently there were 10 instances. Connery, now 81, has largely retired from acting. He starred in six James Bond films and won an Oscar for his supporting role in The Untouchables. The news came only days after he sent a written endorsement of independence to the launch of the pro-separation referendum campaign last Friday. Mr Salmond's senior special adviser said: "The First Minister condemns outright all examples of phone hacking and other press malpractice, regardless of who the victims are and who the perpetrators were."