Roger Moore lived on my doorstep wtf!

I could see the wink and the raised eyebrow as I gazed at this house, because this is where one of film's most famous spies, lived.

The house is located on the Four Oaks estate in the Midlands, 61 Rosemary Hill Road. It’s boarded up. Signs stating the Sheldon Clayton are affixed on big blue boards. I had a debate as to who owns the land. I could do research and make enquiries and find out, but I’m not going to. It would take my Bond interest to scary levels.

I presume the Sheldon Clayton are looking after the land for the current owner of the estate, oppose to the group owning the land. But I don’t know, I don’t need to, either.

Former home of Sir Roger Moore, 61 Rosemary Hill Road, Four Oaks

The property was in need of work. Windows were hanging off the brickwork. The property was in disrepair. As I stood there, all I kept thinking about was the many garden parties which, I presume, would have been hosted there.

I also thought about Sunday nights in which Moore must have sat out on the patio with his, then wife, Dorothy Squires. It was a large estate. There was a big back garden and trees surrounding the lawn. There was a front driveway, but I couldn’t see this against the boards.

As I was walking up the road, one of the neighbours pulled up next to me on my right-hand-side. They were in a black Mercedes and were wearing two surgical masks. They were Asian women, who looked in their 50s. I thanked them for letting me pass, before they turned in, opened the electronic gates and pulled into their property.

A traffic free Rosemary Hill Road, where Sir Roger Moore lived

I said as I was walking off, “why the fucking hell would you wear a mask?!” I then went on a bit of a rant. I presumed they don’t leave the house very much. They were clearly sisters and they were the best of friends. They had gone to the local pharmacy to collect their weekly medicines. Then, they wouldn’t leave their house again. Lots of lists on the fridge and kitchen units came to mind.

Sir Roger Moore, evoking memories of cream suites and impeccable vowels, appeared in seven Bond films from 1973 to 1985. Both he and Sean, his predecessor, appeared in an equal number of instalments, making Moore, one of the most popular Bonds in the franchise.

The Sir Roger Moore mural in Wetherspoons, Boldmere

He played Bond in Live and Let Die (1973), 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).

Paul McCartney and Wings titling the track to Live and Let Die, ranking number one in Britain’s favourite Bond song, according to a poll by Radio 2. It isn’t my favourite Bond song, so I couldn’t give a shit about the poll. My favourite Bond song is If You Asked Me To by Patti LaBelle from Licence To Kill (1989).

I had the privilege of singing alongside Patti in The Great Voices Of Soul at the O2, Manchester in 2015. I wore the leopard print jacket, which I’ve never worn since. It’s in the brown wardrobe, right now. I sniff it sometimes, but I would never wear it again.

Sutton Coldfield Golf Club, located over the road from The Four Oaks estate

I was only in Fridges Of The Self, yesterday in Birmingham. I saw a pair of blue sunglasses, costing £350. I said to the female assistant in passing, I said, I would only wear sunglasses on performances. I would buy myself a pair, every Friday, after completing a daunting week of university. It was a well done from myself for persisting with something I thought about dropping, multiple times across the three-year programme.

The jacket now lives in a cosy place next to the other coats. Moore didn’t star in Licence to Kill. His final instalment as Bond was in A View To A Kill, where he aged. He looks so different next to Christopher Walken as he does in the other films he appeared in. Tim Dalton had taken over in the late eighties.

Rosemary Hill Road, Four Oaks

What I loved about Moore’s style was the pomp, debonair and campness, which suited the disco era so very well. In stark comparison to Dan Craig’s portrayal of the Ian Fleming icon, Moore was terribly well-spoken, immaculately dressed and never lost it, ever. There was hardly any aggression. Even in the tensest of circumstances where life is in the balance, he was as cool as one would be, chilling out with a bourbon in the superking.

When you look at the two roles, you would think you were watching two different film franchises. They are so very different. But, they are the same. You know they are the same.

You know they are the same character. Despite being so very, very different, they work. So, what is it that links the two? I don’t fucking know?! Nobody knows. All I know is they work.

I only found out about his connections to the West Midlands after drinking in a Wetherspoons. I was drinking poor ale with splendid mates or was it poor mates, splendid ale?

Sir Roger Moore

On the way to the toilets, I looked at a mural on the wall. It was Sir Roger. I stopped and read what was on there, something I never do. I could not believe he lived less than five miles from where we were getting pissed.

Moore was raised in Stockwell in South London. He went to Rada, where he picked up his intonation. He speaks so very well, announcing all vowels, clearly and slowly. He began to rub shoulders with TV people, before appearing in mainstream roles from The Saint to Ivanhoe, before landing, what was obviously, his biggest legacy, taking on the role of the quintessential spy.

He later did a huge amount of philanthropic work for UNICEF. He’s two sons and a daughter, Geoffrey, Christian and Deborah. Deborah played the air hostess in Die Another Day (2002).

He later spent a lot of time in Monaco.

We were in Monaco, earlier this year, flying from a then traumatic Manchester Airport. It was one of the worst departing experiences of my flying career and had put me off flying from the place. We were stopped for what turned out to be no reason whatsoever and missed the plane. Cunts.

Colleague, Russell Davies from 2, saw Moore at check-in at Nice Airport. He reported he was in a cream suite.

I don’t know about you, but if you saw Roger Moore in a cream suite at check-in, you would be forgiven for thinking you might have stumbled onto the set of a Bond film. Imagine that. You’ve finished your holiday in the south of France and now you’re a Bond extra. That sounds as good as an upgrade to me.