Sir Roger Moore's memoirs reveal he was scared to die but retained his 'wit' till the end

James Bond legend Sir Roger Moore managed to complete his final book in the days before he died and retained his “stoicism and wit” until the very end of his life.

But the British icon, who died aged 89 in May this year following a brief cancer battle, admitted he was scared of death in his final book of memories, and said in the final chapter that he was afraid of joining his pals “in the great cutting room in the sky”.

When his daughter Deborah Moore read his memoir she “burst into tears” because she was able to experience her Dad’s “voice” again, and explained that mixed in with his honest portrayal of death, were self-deprecating anecdotes about becoming “an old fart”.

Deborah told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I burst into floods of tears when I read his final reflections. It was just so incredibly poignant.

“We didn’t think he was going to die – he didn’t think he was going to die – until the very last week. Dad’s illness came on quite quickly.”

Despite his declining health, the actor managed to complete his final book with the help of his personal assistant, and he joked about the benefits, and pitfalls, of getting old.

She shared: “I knew he was writing another book, ‘a little piece about the pros and cons of ageing’, he called it, but I never thought for a moment he wouldn’t live to see it published. He managed to finish it with the help of his wonderful PA, Gareth, then I was asked to write the prologue.

“He called it ‘A Bientot’, which means ‘see you soon’ in French. And when I read it … oh my God, it was tough.

“It was hearing Dad’s voice again, his wonderful childlike humour, his optimism and zest for life. I just couldn’t imagine the world without him.”

However, she says her father’s enthusiasm for life was unaffected by his illness.

She added: “Just after Christ­­mas he went for some check-ups. That’s when they found it in his lung and liver.

“He started the chemo and the radiotherapy. I went out several times to see him and spent the last three weeks of his life with him. But he kept his stoicism and wit until the very end. I think deep down he must have known he was weakening and wasn’t going to get better.

“But right up until the end he still had his sense of humour and was still joking with the nurses. He never, ever complained. He was amazing.”