Sean Connery and his wife Micheline

"I'm healthy and happy. I did receive my annual medical checks last year and I'm feeling well. It means a great deal to me to know that people out there care so deeply about my well being."

His decision to semi-retire from acting has allowed him to spend more time with his French wife Micheline and he confesses that the marriage works because it's an attraction of opposites.

"There's no doubt that the French have a Celtic link with the Scots. But my wife speaks fluent English, which reflects rather badly on me, because I can't speak French. With her food and language she's very much more developed. I've had a poor education and can't even remember our wedding anniversary date."

He spends time playing golf and watching old Bond movies.

He told My Weekly magazine: "I still haven't seen all the old Bond films, only the odd one or two. I have all the films on DVD so I must catch up on them."