UK NEWS

CROWDS TURN OUT FOR BIRTHDAY BOY SIR SEAN

Sean Connery: Birthday boy

Tuesday August 26,2008

By Gavin Docherty and Stephen Wilkie

SIR Sean Connery celebrated a double milestone yesterday when he turned 78 and launched his long-awaited memoirs.

The former Bond actor entertained a 300-strong crowd that gathered for a sell-out event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to introduce his biography.

His tome, Being A Scot, covers every aspect of the 007 star’s life from his early days as an Edinburgh milkboy through to his turning down the chance of being a professional footballer in favour of an acting career.

The Hollywood star, who was in relaxed form, joked with the audience about the stick he now faces from Celtic supporters after switching his loyalties to the other half of Glasgow’s infamous Old Firm.

And he survived a radio wind-up by a DJ pretending to be acting chum and fellow Scot, comedian Billy Connolly. Bahamas-based Sir Sean was the butt of Radio Clyde impersonator Des McLean’s joke as he pretended to be The Big Yin and called up the star for a chat about his memoirs.

The hoaxer told Sir Sean that he was flattered to see a picture of himself and his wife, Pamela Stephenson, in the new book.

Earlier, Sir Sean met First Minister Alex Salmond and backed calls by the SNP for a separate Scottish Olympic team. He told the audience at a question-and-answer session: “Scotland should always be a stand-alone nation at whatever, I believe.”

Mr Salmond, the actor’s brother Neil and wife Micheline were among those in the audience. The actor also revealed his enthusiasm for Donald Trump’s plans for a £1billion golf resort in Aberdeenshire.

He told how he met the tycoon at a Tartan Week event in New York soon after the proposals were announced.

“I said, ‘Well, I think it’s terrific’,” he said. “But I had no idea what local repercussions would be. I couldn’t see anything but benefits for that part of Scotland because it’s pretty neglected, apart from the oil fields.”