Sir Roger Moore, star of The Saint and The Persuaders, and who played James Bond seven times between 1973 and 1985, is to publish his memoirs this year.
   The 80-year-old star of Live and Let Die and The Spy Who Loved Me said: ‘The time is right to tell my story.’
   The book, called My Word Is My Bond, will be published by HarperCollins, part of News Corp.
   The star will not only write about his work on the Bond films, but his friendship with Audrey Hepburn, his encounters with Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and his struggles with his health.
   Roger Moore, born in 1927, first became an actor in the 1940s. Going to Hollywood in the 1950s, he co-starred and starred in numerous films after signing with MGM, before playing Beauregard Maverick in the TV series Maverick, replacing James Garner.
   Returning to England, Moore took the role that made him internationally famous: as Leslie Charteris’s literary hero, Simon Templar, in The Saint.
   In the late 1960s, Moore attempted to return to the big screen in the Basil Dearden-directed thriller The Man Who Haunted Himself. The movie was not a commercial success but reminded people that Moore’s abilities extended beyond television.
   With Tony Curtis, Moore starred in The Persuaders, a series that lasted one season but is considered cult television by many people today. It was a success in almost every country it aired in, with the notable exception of the United States.
   In 1973, Moore starred in his first James Bond film, Live and Let Die, and played Ian Fleming’s secret agent a total of seven times, with his last in 1985.
   Since departing from the Bond role, Moore has remained active in film but is best known for his ambassador work for Unicef.
   He has three children from his marriage to Luisa Mattioli. Moore has been married four times. He was knighted for his charity work in 2003.
   ‘For the first time, he will share his recollections of playing some of the world’s most famous roles, his fears of serious illness, including his own bout with prostate cancer (which he beat), and how his neighbour Audrey Hepburn got him involved in Unicef, a charity he is still involved with today,’ HarperCollins said in a statement.—Press Association and Lucire staff