James Bond actor George Lazenby says he's retired

George Lazenby, who played James Bond in 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, has announced he is retiring.

The 84-year-old Australian followed on from Sean Connery as the second official 007.

Writing on X, Lazenby said it "hasn't been an easy decision but it's time to announce my retirement from work".

He added: "It's been a fun ride but getting older is no fun."

Lazenby suffered a fall in December 2023, which subsequently caused a brain injury.

The actor was treated in hospital before returning to his home in Los Angeles.

He has been keeping a low profile in recent years, after being accused of making offensive comments during an on-stage interview in Australia in 2022.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service was Lazenby's first major acting job and said it was his decision to quit the role after the 1969 film, but he struggled to find more major roles.

His other films included The Man from Hong Kong in 1975 and Gettysburg in 1993.

The New South Wales native said he was blacklisted from the industry for being difficult to work with.

In a statement, he said: "This hasn’t been an easy decision but it’s time to announce my retirement from work.

"Therefore, I won’t be doing any more acting or making public appearances, doing any more interviews or signing any more autographs as of today."

He added that he would now "concentrate on spending more time with family".