Recalling the suave actor’s poignant words near the end of his life, Deborah Moore said: “We didn’t think he was going to die – he didn’t think he was going to die – until the very last week”

Reading her father’s final book of memories was a bittersweet experience for Deborah Moore. She found herself laughing at his naughty jokes, showbiz stories, and self-deprecating anecdotes about becoming “an old fart.” However, the tone changed when she reached the final chapter, which contained a heart-rending admission of his fear of death and of joining his mates “in the great cutting room in the sky.” Just weeks after writing those lines, 007 legend Sir Roger Moore lost his short but incredibly brave battle with cancer at the age of 89.

“I burst into floods of tears when I read his final reflections,” says Deborah, 53. “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.”

These reflections from Deborah provide a moving insight into the final days of her father, highlighting the unexpected and swift nature of his illness, and the deep emotional impact his final thoughts had on her.

Sir Roger Moore had previously overcome prostate cancer in 1993 and had been treated for a spot on his liver. However, his daughter Deborah Moore reveals that things took a turn for the worse after Christmas when check-ups revealed cancer 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.”

Fighting back tears, Deborah adds, “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.”

Deborah’s reflections paint a poignant picture of Sir Roger’s final days, highlighting his remarkable spirit and humor even in the face of his illness. The process of finishing his book and writing the prologue was a deeply emotional experience for her, marking a final tribute to her father’s enduring legacy.

“He called it À Bientôt, 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.”

Fans felt the same loss when Sir Roger died in May at his home in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. His children and his wife of 15 years, Kiki, 77, were at his side.

Deborah and her brothers Geoffrey, 51, and Christian, 44, are his children with his third wife, actress Luisa Mattioli, 78. Despite this, they had also grown close to Kiki’s daughter, Christina, known as Flossie, who sadly died of cancer last year at age 47.

Deborah’s account provides a touching insight into the emotional journey of reading her father’s final book and the impact of his passing on his family and fans.

Sir Roger Moore poignantly writes in his book, “Flossie was terribly brave and refused to give in. But the bastard cancer took her from us in July 2016. I never imagined anyone could cry as much as her mother. No parent should have to bury a child. It was the cruellest, most awful thing.”

Deborah reflects on this, shaking her head. “That was tough. And that took its toll, too – it must have impacted on Dad.”

Sir Roger shot to fame in the 1960s with The Saint, and later starred in The Persuaders in the 1970s. He took over the iconic role of James Bond from Sean Connery in 1973, bringing a unique humor and a sardonic raised eyebrow to the character over seven movies spanning 12 years. His humor was a hallmark in his earlier memoirs, My Word is My Bond and Last Man Standing.

In his final months, Sir Roger maintained his ability to poke fun at himself. Deborah recalls, “The way Dad writes about the absurdities of ageing will ring true with many people. He used to say, ‘You know you’re old when you feel 21 but wonder who the old fart in the mirror staring back at you is.’”

Deborah’s reflections capture the essence of her father’s spirit, his humor, and the impact of personal loss on his final years.

Deborah Moore decided to follow in her father’s footsteps into acting after playing a schoolgirl in The Persuaders. In 1990, she starred opposite him in the comedy Bullseye and joined him in a spoof Bond sketch on a Victoria Wood Christmas special. Her career includes a string of film and TV roles, such as Lionheart, Alien Terminator, and Sherlock. She was also the face of Scottish Widows until 1995.

Although she always aspired to be a Bond baddie, Deborah laughs, “It’s a bit late now. Unless they want a granny baddie.”

Deborah’s favorite Bond movie is her dad’s first, Live and Let Die. She recalls the joy of traveling with her father to New Orleans and Jamaica for the filming. “It was the best time,” she says. “I was 10 and taken out of school because Dad didn’t want the family split up. A tutor gave us lessons each day.

“I have such vivid memories of New Orleans. We went trick or treating with some of the local crew members’ kids. When we got back, Dad insisted on going through everything, claiming there might be razor blades hidden in the apples. But he was just after our sweets. He had a very sweet tooth.”

Deborah cherishes many happy memories of her father. She recalls, “He used to cook Christmas lunch and would be up two days before making the brandy butter. And God help anyone who went into the kitchen and tried to interfere.”

These memories highlight the warmth and humor that characterized Sir Roger Moore’s life, both on and off the screen, and the deep bond he shared with his family.

In À Bientôt, Sir Roger Moore reminisces about his mother cooking apple pie, noting how “the merest sniff of cooking apples takes me right back to standing at her side.” Deborah finds this incredibly poignant, as smells also trigger her memories of her dad.

“His aftershave, his skin used to have such a lovely smell,” she says. “My parents had an enormous bed, and when I was little Dad would lie there in the mornings reading the papers. I’d snuggle up next to him, put my head on his chest and listen to his breathing, hear his heart beating.”

Though tears well up again, Deborah feels proud to help with her dad’s final book of memories, the proceeds of which go to Unicef, an organization Sir Roger was passionate about for three decades.

The family is facing a difficult milestone on October 14, which would have been Sir Roger’s 90th birthday. They’re considering a memorial service in Britain.

“Dad had been agnostic all his life, but that changed about 15 years ago,” Deborah says. “He started believing there was something else out there. I used to say, ‘Oh Dad, of course there is. All your mates are up there in the great cutting room in the sky.’ And that’s where he is now, I’m sure. Telling naughty jokes to all his mates in heaven and giving the angels something to flutter their wings about.”

These reflections capture the deep bond Deborah shared with her father and the enduring impact of his presence in her life, emphasizing Sir Roger’s humor, warmth, and the legacy he left behind.