RIP Sean Connery, the greatest of the Bonds and the role model to a generation. In addition to his extraordinarily handsome face and intimidating physique, Sean had a wicked sense of humour.

When I was first introduced to him in Lyford Cay many years ago, it was on the front step of his home and neither he nor I knew we were about to be introduced. He came to the door wearing a sarong and was obviously in the middle of his lunch -- and therefore mildly annoyed.

I couldn& #39;t think what on earth to say. After an agonizing pause, I blurted out, embarrassingly: "Mr. Connery, it& #39;s a huge honour to meet you. Everything I know about how to be a man I learned from watching you in the Ayr Odeon as a boy." He gave me a searing look.

"Oh, that& #39;s funny," he said. "Don& #39;t you know I& #39;m a homosexual?" (At least I had the wit to reply, "Is that why you& #39;re wearing a skirt?") Ayaan and I loved our times with him and his lovely wife Micheline and were deeply sad when we heard of his increasing frailty.