Family of Sir Roger Moore announce the James Bond star has died aged 89

ACTOR Sir Roger Moore has died aged 89.

The family of the James Bond star released a statement on Moore’s Twitter account to announce that he had passed away after a ‘short but brave battle with cancer’.

The message read: “With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated.”

The statement continued: “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our loving father, Sir Roger Moore, has passed away today in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer.

“The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone.”

With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated. pic.twitter.com/6dhiA6dnVg

— Sir Roger Moore (Legacy) (@sirrogermoore) May 23, 2017

His career began in the 50s, at first as a model and then in several films, before his roles in hit TV series The Saint and The Persuaders brought him into the public eye.

Moore took on the role of 007 for seven films, between 1973 and 1985, after the departure of Sean Connery.

He had previously been approached to star as Bond, but his TV schedule made him unavailable.

He finally got the chance and debuted in Live and Let Die, later becoming the longest running actor in the role.

Outwith his acting career, he became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991 and was knighted in 2003.

His family’s statement added: “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 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 last 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 for being so very special to so many people.

“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.”

The statement was signed by Sir Roger’s children, Deborah, Geoffrey and Christian.