Bond’s Ice Missions

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Ever since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969, some of the most thrilling James Bond action sequences have taken place in the coldest climates. The 007 action unit have found myriad ways to create unique snowbound set-pieces on skis, to aircraft and even a cello case. Here are the behind-the scenes stories from some of Bond’s most iconic ice capades….

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Locations: Mürren, Switzerland.

The Action: Bond (George Lazenby) travels to the Swiss Alps to infiltrate Piz Gloria, the HQ of Spectre head Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas). The snowbound scenes include a stock car race on ice, a night-time ski pursuit and a daring helicopter raid on the mountain-top fortress.

Behind the scenes: Production manager Hubert Frölich found an under-construction restaurant only reachable by cable car built on the Schilthorn mountain near Mürren, Switzerland. EON paid to complete the restaurant so they could use it to double as Piz Gloria. Blofeld’s helipad was left behind to serve mountain rescue teams.

Richard Graydon, stunt double for George Lazenby: “I doubled for Bond when he had to go hand-over-hand along a cable. The drop was about 80 feet. The only safety devices I had were two hooks in the palms of my hand attached to my safety belt. The difficulty was ice had formed on the cable. So instead of the hooks locking onto the cable, I found myself sliding down towards Mürren, which was two or three miles below. Fortunately, there were some stuntmen on the first pylon who caught hold of me as I approached it, otherwise I think I might still be going.” 

 

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Locations: St. Moritz, Switzerland and Mount Asgard in Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island, Canada.

Behind the scenes: On assignment in Austria, 007 (Roger Moore) is pursued down a mountain by KGB assassins when he is confronted by a cliff face. All looks lost when Bond skis off the edge to certain death – until, after a few heart-stopping moments, a parachute opens emblazoned with a Union Jack.

Trivia: Director John Glen and crew waited ten days for the harsh conditions to subside to shoot the spectacular jump of Mount Asgard. When the clouds finally parted, the team only had a 15-minute window to capture the stunt performed by climber and stuntman Rick Sylvester.

John Glen, second-unit director: “We were in this very desolate part of the world, inside the Arctic circle with an Inuit village about 30 miles away. Each day we had to travel out by helicopter to set up the climbing pylons so the crew could get up there with the cameras. The weather was atrocious.”

 

 For Your Eyes Only (1982)

Location: Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

The Action: Hot on the trail of Emile Leopold Locque (Michael Gothard), an enforcer in the Brussels underworld, Bond (Roger Moore) heads to Cortina, Italy. 007 is hunted down by motorbike assassins, ending up on a thrilling pursuit around a bobsleigh run.

Behind the scenes: Shooting the bob run chase, the motorbike’s wheels were fitted with spike-laden treads to increase the grip while moving at speeds of up to 50mph.

Willy Bognor, ski photographer: “In order to get a very close look at the action and really capture the feel of the chase, I decided to do some tracking shots on skis on the bob run. I could handhold it (the camera) during the chase and because of the shock-absorbing effect of my knees and arms, it was possible to hold the camera really steady and get a perfectly clear picture even at high speeds.”

 

A View To A Kill (1985)

Location: Vedretta di Scerscen Inferiore glacier, the Alps in Switzerland

The Action: In the pre-titles sequence, Bond (Roger Moore) is being chased by henchmen on skis, a snowmobile and in a helicopter. 007 improvises his escape with a snowmobile blade acting as snowboard and glides his way out of danger.

Behind the scenes: The first feature film to showcase snowboarding, the sequence took six weeks to film with  pioneer, World Snowboard Champion (1982) Tom Sims and Steve Link doubling for Roger Moore for the snowboarding scenes.  

John Glen: “Willy [Bogner, champion skier] came up with this new idea: snowboarding. He said, ‘If we could get Bond on a monoski, then we could have some real fun.’ I thought that was a great idea and I came up with the idea that Bond was on a motorised toboggan that gets shot up and all that’s left is the front ski. So Bond goes on it as a snowboard. Willy came up with this idea of the lake, of using the snowboard as a seaboard as well, to go through the lake. It worked ever so well.” 

 

The Living Daylights (1987)

Location: Weissensee, Austria

The Action: Chased by the KGB and the Czechoslovakian Police, Bond (Timothy Dalton) and cellist Kara Milovy (Maryam d’Abo) flee from Bratislava to Vienna. 007’s Aston Martin V8 is forced onto a frozen lake, evading his pursuers with the help of a jet engine booster. After crash landing the V8 in a forest, the pair cross the Austrian border using Kara’s cello case as a sled.

Behind the scenes: For the moment 007 throws the cello over the barrier and catches it, Timothy Dalton nailed the tricky manoeuvre on the first take.

Paul Weston, stunt supervisor: “It was a dangerous chase because when we first arrived the lake was just freezing over. When we walked out on it, you could see the fish beneath you, as it hadn’t gone white yet, it was like standing on a sheet of glass.” 

 

 The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Location: Chamonix, France.

The Action: At the behest of M (Judi Dench), Bond (Pierce Brosnan) travels to Azerbaijan to protect Elektra King (Sophie Marceau). During a tour of the Caucasus Mountains to check the construction of an oil pipeline, Bond and Elektra come under attack from a quartet of parahawks, Skidoos suspended from parachutes.

Behind the scenes: The crew were often hampered by heavy snow, overcast skies, delays stopping for avalanche warnings and diesel freezing in the trucks. The spectacular set-piece ended up going five days over schedule.

Jonathan Taylor, second unit-cameraman: “We tested the cameras in the British Airways refrigerator at Heathrow and left them there overnight to make sure they ran and the batteries were up to speed.”

 

Die Another Day (2002)

Location: Iceland.

The Action: Slipping the clutches of millionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens) from his ice palace in Iceland. 007 (Pierce Brosnan) speeds off in his Aston Martin V12 Vanquish and embarks on a high-speed duel with Zao (Rick Yune)’s Jaguar XKR across a frozen landscape.

Behind the scenes: The cars were converted to four-wheel drive for the chase. To shoot the auto-ballet, the camera unit vehicle was fitted out with floatation devices in case the ice broke.

Michael G. Wilson, producer: ‘It was a miracle. That lagoon only freezes a few weeks a year to that depth that’s sufficient for cars to run on it. It just so happened that this was the coldest February in 60 years and therefore we only had a few weeks to film everything.”

 

Spectre (2015)

Location: Altaussee, Austria.

Action: In the snowy drifts of Altaussee, Bond (Daniel Craig) mounts a rescue of Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), kidnapped by SPECTRE henchman Hinx (Dave Bautista). Bond gives chase in a plane, using it to ram into Hinx’s convoy and free Madeleine.

Behind the scenes: Crew members caught walking on pristine snow were fined 10 euros with the proceeds going to charity.

Dave Bautista, actor: “My character, Hinx, kidnaps Madeleine. The altitude was so high and the oxygen levels were so low that the scene was a lot trickier than it looks on film.”

 

No Time To Die (2021)

Location: Langvann Lake, Norway.

The Action: The film opens on a flashback depicting young Madeleine Swann (Mathilde Bourbin), under siege in a Norwegian lake house from Safin (Rami Malek) who is intent on murdering her father. Fleeing across a frozen Norwegian lake, Madeleine falls through the ice but she is rescued and spared by Safin.

Behind the scenes: The lake house was assembled at the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios and then “flat-packed” in a container and shipped out to Norway.

Linus Sandgren, cinematographer: “We couldn’t put too much weight in the ice or be too close to certain areas, because the temperature was too warm and they were afraid the ice would crack. We were also limited to how large the cranes we could use.”

Head off on your next adventure in style with the 007 collection of travel accessories at 007Storecom.

Bond In Motion at Spy Museum

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Vehicle exhibition Bond in Motion has travelled to The International Spy Museum in Washington.

Opened on March 1, 2024 at L’Enfant Plaza, Bond in Motion features 17 vehicles from the 007 film series, ranging from the Aston Martin DBS from Quantum of Solace (2008) to the Jaguar XKR from Die Another Day (2002).

Other highlights include the submarine from For Your Eyes Only (1981) and the MR Glastron Boat from Moonraker (1979), offering a journey chronicling James Bond’s 60+ years of adventures.

Tickets are available for purchase priced at $12.00. For more information, visit spymuseum.org.

Bond in Motion was previously hosted in the US at the Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs, New York. The European edition is currently located in Prague, Czechia.

DHL is the official logistics partner of this exhibition.

The Style Of No Time To Die

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Emmy award-winning costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlarb has a career which spans London and Broadway theatre, opera, blockbuster movies and the 2012 summer Olympics. In 2021, Suttirat was responsible for No Time To Die and Daniel Craig’s look in his last outing as James Bond as well as creating the wardrobes for villain Safin (Rami Malek) and the film’s three female protagonists: Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux); Paloma (Ana de Armas); and Nomi (Lashana Lynch). 

In our exclusive interview, Suttirat reveals why No Time To Die demanded a different look for 007…

The Preparation

“I had already watched all the James Bond films before I was approached about being the costume designer just because I was a fan. I was introduced to them by my mom who loved them. Skip forward to when I became the designer, I rewatched them again. I wanted to create a mental database of what the big themes were in terms of design for certain kinds of characters: the villain, the love interest, the worker bees in the lair of the villain. I also wanted to break things down in terms of environments. Over the years James Bond has been in the desert, mountains, underwater, jungle, every continent. If you’re watching it intently, a little bit gets imprinted in your design DNA.”

The Approach

“Director Cary (Joji Fukunaga) came up with the phrase ‘grounded cool’. I think there’s cool that’s cool for cool sake. I think there’s grounded, which can be very documentarian, no pizazz. And then ‘grounded cool’ is somewhere between them. It’s about being driven by character behaviour. You have this responsibility on a Bond film to answer the challenge of the previous movie visually and lay down the gauntlet for the next one. It has to be cool. But, because of the conversations I had been having with both our director and Daniel Craig himself about where our James Bond was in his career and his life, we knew that No Time To Die was going to be a different kind of look for Bond.”

Bond in Italy

“He starts at a point in which we’ve never seen him before. It’s very clear at the beginning of our film that he’s made a choice to reject his old life. So, in order to do that, there were some rules that I felt were really necessary to have that relaxation visually. He’s in this soft jacket that’s very fluid and bears no resemblance to a suit jacket. It’s the most relaxed version of a romantic getaway travel look without being like a structured Safari suit or something that might be more expected of Bond. It just needed to telegraph romance, travel and luxury all in one outfit.”

Bond in Jamaica

“We were really stripping away everything everybody knows about Bond. He’s renounced his position at the secret service to fall in love and now he’s renounced love itself. He had to start from a shirt full of holes and swimming shorts. So the journey can be about building him back to the point where he walks back through the famous doors in London in his Tom Ford suit to go head-to-head with M.”

Bond in Cuba

“James has to put that armour back on. From the outset I was so privileged to work with Tom Ford and his team on this tuxedo. I knew what the scenes and sets were, and I also knew all the tuxedos that Daniel had worn in previous films. With the Tom Ford team, I was able to work out the silhouette, the details of the lapel and the materials. I made a binder just for the tuxedo communications that was as thick as a phonebook.”

Madeleine Swann – Léa Seydoux

“When we meet her, Madeleine has let her guard down with this man. She is travelling in Italy, wearing a beautiful red floral dress, exactly what you would imagine a fiery, passionate trip to Italy would need. We started out on fire, and then drained that life out of her a bit. When Bond and Madeleine finally see each other again, she’s partially built that shell back up, but she’s not as inaccessible as she was in her Spectre introduction because she’s been worn down. We later learn the secret. She’s now a mother and there’s a domestic aspect. So, it’s not the same uniform you put on when you’re the only person in your life.”

Safin – Rami Malek

“Doing my research, one of the pictures that popped out was this image of the genius Japanese designer Issey Miyake at his work table. He just looked like the architect of the world, and so at ease in that role. It has the appearance of a uniform, but it’s his own thing. I mentioned these things to Rami when we first met and he grabbed on to that as well. Collaborating with Rami was just wonderful for me. We had great conversations about character, probably to an annoying point for him, but it all helps me.”

Safin’s Mask

“We knew Safin needed a mask for when he goes to see the young Madeleine and wants to remain anonymous. I pulled up a lot of reference, from something as pedestrian as a ski mask to functional balaclavas and hoods because we knew the environment was cold. But I remembered having seen this image of a Japanese Noh theatrical mask. When I showed this picture to Cary, what he liked about it was at first it seemed expressionless, but it actually has quite a lot of expression depending on how you look at it. This seemed like a good metaphor for how Rami was approaching Safin.”

Paloma – Ana de Armas

“Paloma is basically earning her stripes. We had discussions about women in these positions, who have to embed themselves in the situation when they’re being called to serve. In the case of Paloma, our introduction to her is at the extravagant Spectre party that’s happening in Cuba, which is a black-tie event. So, not to be singled out, she’s basically in this spectacular dress, and does incredible feats in this wisp of a thing. Especially on a franchise like this, it’s important when you turn up the volume, you turn it up really high.”

Nomi – Lashana Lynch

“Nomi is seen wearing a tactical all-in-one, which is from a sketch of mine. We talked about her needing to blend in and not be seen, she doesn’t want to be mistaken as a guest. I’m thinking about the stunts she’s going to be engaged in, the equipment she needs, all the ways the clothes need to serve the action. So it made perfect sense for Nomi to be in something allowing her to be fast, agile and move around like a cat.”

Final Thoughts

“I never in a million years would have thought I’d get to do a Bond film. I felt so grateful and honoured. When I was doing it, I felt this huge sense of responsibility and really feared the consequences if I didn’t keep my eyes on the prize. Now that I’ve done it and it exists, and people talk about the canon of Bond films, that’s pretty exciting.”

The Style Of Skyfall And Spectre

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Jany, you’re a James Bond fan first and foremost…

I love it, love it, love it! 

When were you first introduced to 007?

The film I fell in love with was Octopussy. It was the first one I saw in a cinema in Paris, on a big screen on the Champs-Élysées. I was full of aspiration afterwards, it was so glamorous. 

How did you become involved with the James Bond films?

Through Sam Mendes. He was looking for someone to work on the costumes for Skyfall. My agent told me that he was interested in seeing me, we had a meeting to discuss the work and that was it. I think Sam looked at my work on Harry Potter and liked it. 

What were your first steps when starting on a Bond film?

You have to respect what has been done before and at the same time innovate. It’s very hard to take on a legacy and do something more modern. This was the challenge, the balance between innovation and being respectful of the tradition of 007.

How do you find that balance of adding your own style and respecting the tradition?

There were 50 years of history when I started. I had to look at what sort of man Bond could be now, how he could hold the values of a modern English gentleman and spy, and show this in how he looks. I was very much helped by Daniel Craig who had a very good idea of what he wanted to look like. I went to see him in New York with a bunch of clothes. We created the shape of his suit together before seeing Tom Ford.  I was really happy to be with Barbara Broccoli because it’s quite intimidating, arriving in that temple of style. We told them Tom Ford is what we all wanted Daniel to wear as James Bond. They sent me their best tailor and some samples from Italy. The collaboration was brilliant. Tom Ford was also very happy that I wanted to have the tuxedo in dark blue instead of black.

The midnight blue dinner jacket – was that inspired by Sean Connery’s era in the 60s? 

No, I didn’t ever know that, I just thought blue was an interesting idea. I had a gentleman to create. I thought that there is a sense of tradition in Bond and I can bring what I think is new. But I discover with 60 years of history nothing is new. I chose midnight blue dinner jackets because it has an elegance and way of showing sophistication. 

Was getting the look of James Bond’s suits your main challenge as Costume Designer?

We wanted to have an athletic, strong, sporty man. The fact that the suits are tight is not just an aesthetic reason, it is because I wanted to see the body to show what he is physically capable of. You can see that 007 has legs to run. It was good to show fans that yes, you can wear a suit that looks cool and feels young. He is somebody dressed to have a martini in a bar and to fight. He is ready for action and the suit shows that. 

How much collaboration do you do with actors and the director? 

Everything we did was to fit the script and was looked at by Sam Mendes. We talked in the beginning and I mentioned ideas such as the style of (legendary French actor and filmmaker) Alain Delon, my inspiration through various designers and what characters could wear. Daniel had ideas for certain looks and things he was comfortable in but the physical suit, that was agreed between everyone but especially with Sam and Daniel.

In Skyfall, Q and Moneypenny are re-introduced. How important was it to modernise them?

Q’s quirky look was very much from Sam Mendes. He wanted Q to be someone who is incredibly intelligent.  So we thought of all those kids working in tech and social media. They were spending a hell of a lot of money on clothes and were fashionable in a very nerdy way. That’s what we wanted to show for Q. I sent an image pitching the idea to Sam and he said, “You’ve nailed it, you’ve got it, exactly how I wanted”.

Q had a statement mustard cardigan. How did that come about?

It’s from the menswear designer, Dries van Noten. Everything Q wears on screen is extremely expensive on purpose. It is sort of how a tech or computer millionaire will dress. I imagined Q going to a very expensive shop but to buy a cardigan because that’s what he likes to wear and at school he had one. 

Who’s costume did you spend the most time on?

After 007, the one character who was very difficult was Javier Bardem’s Silva. Javier came with one goal in mind and said, “I want to be as beautiful as Daniel”. Some might think that is vanity but Javier assured me that in the scene where they are both together, he wanted to be attractive even though underneath, his looks have been completely destroyed. Javier said to me, “I want to be a man with a certain level of attraction because if not, the scene where Bond is attracted to me will make no sense”. That was a very strong point. So we had to find a style but it took us a long time. For example, the policeman’s suit, people may think that was easy but it was a tailored suit just for Silva. We were shooting on the underground and we had real policemen who were looking at Javier in his uniform saying, “Oh my god, check it out. That jacket is so well cut. Is that the new uniform?” and I would say, “No, no no. The jacket was made by hand to look like a policeman’s uniform”.

Are there any other costumes that you enjoyed on Skyfall?

The black dress with the nude back worn by Bérénice Lim Marlohe as Sévérine. That was an idea from Sam who said, “I am going to start this shot with the back of the dress”. So I started looking into transparent material for the back of the dress. We had 10 of those dresses. It was so tight and difficult to wear and was in two pieces, so we had to sew Bérénice into it. You don’t see any of this on screen of course but the practicalities of the dress meant not going to the loo for many hours. So you put on the dress in the morning, get out of it at lunchtime and back into it for the afternoon.  I think Bérénice was quite happy to get rid of it at the end of the day.

The glamorous dresses are obviously also a big part of Bond history…

It is not just beautiful clothing, it’s a femme fatale dress. When I told Sam that Miss Moneypenny would be wearing gold in that scene he was worried the character would look like an Oscar statue. I said, “No, it won’t be that kind of gold, it will be more like anise”. We worked on it to find the final colour to make the dress stand out in the scene. It was wonderful working with Sam and I don’t think that I would have done such a good job without his guidance.

How important is it to work with other teams such as hair and make-up teams to keep the cast looking perfect?

Very important. You only get extremely beautiful results with tight collaboration between departments.  Nothing happens ‘par hasard’. Make-up designer Naomi Donne is great at sharing ideas and Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are excellent for encouraging this. They  really put people together and connect with the heads of department so people exchange ideas. This is reflected in the final film on screen.

In Spectre, the Day of the Dead opening sequence is such a big statement. How did you put together a vibrant sequence with all of the costumes?

It looks so good because we had plenty of time. When I started on Spectre, the script was not ready and that opening was the only part  that I could start on besides Daniel’s costume which was going to be with Tom Ford. For The Day of the Dead, we spent so many months on it and I had a workshop in Mexico with incredible people. It was just designing, designing, designing. We started working out shapes, patterns and arranging things so they could be mixed around to give us a range of outfits. Then the 10 shapes could be multiplicated by changing the colour, shape and patterns on the outfit. Quite cleverly, it gives you lots of designs and looks. That is why the opening scene looks so good, because we had time to prepare.

What a huge project to design an entire parade on this scale…
So many people but also key characters are involved. I had two choices for Daniel to wear based on the fact Bond enters the room, removes clothes, goes out of the window and straight on the roof in one camera movement. I had to get something that he could take off quickly. So I thought, “Give him a mask, poncho or coat and then a suit underneath”. Daniel chose the coat which looked perfect and the top hat was a nice addition. 

How did you get through so many people so quickly for that opening sequence?

A great team effort. My costume supervisor thought it was really a kick to have 4,000 people dressed up in the morning and he studied how they could be dressed, ready and available in four hours. It was fantastic but it was only because the system was very good.

I saw dresses made of paper, with paper napkins and paper plates in the Mexican Day of the Dead festival. Nothing is impossible in Mexico because they have this fantastic attitude of, “Oh you want it, that’s no problem. We can make an event with all those people”. They helped me tremendously to make dresses out of those paper flowers.  And we had whirling dancers in the street scenes and I thought it would be cool to make them look different again so we put them on wheels. The choreographer was up for the challenge and had seen a ballet in New York where they appeared on wheels. So we asked for those mechanisms to be made and it was met with a simple “No problem” by the crews in Mexico. 

In Spectre you filmed in the heat and the snow. How difficult is it to blend what the script requires with the character costumes?

When we got to Austria I was thinking it would be terrible because I cannot keep the actors warm and make them look stylish. I can dress Daniel Craig in ski clothes but I cannot dress Léa Seydoux in ski clothes because she is meant to be at work and then kidnapped. You cannot wait for her to get a coat on! I asked a colleague of mine, costume designer Jacqueline West, how she had kept Leonardo DiCaprio warm on the set of The Revenant. They were filming outdoors in the snow around the same time we were. She said all of the garments were kept warm on battery powered heaters on wire through the garments. So we immediately bought ourselves some and built them into the undergarments. They keep the actors warm for three hours and then you change the batteries. So Léa was warm because she had those clothes with heating devices. I was so grateful to Jacqueline West as she gave me that tip. 

What inspired Daniel’s look in those snow scenes?

I found that style by looking at the 1950s and 1960s. In France we have a special army called the Chasseurs Alpins, they are expert mountain skiers. I found a trouser in their uniform from the ‘60s and showed it to Daniel. He liked the idea so I went to Tom Ford and then they remade it for me in their unique style. We added the sweater with a sleeve, the sunglasses and the gilet to round out the look but it had to be practical for the actors as well as very stylish.

Do you have ideas ready if you were to work on another Bond film?

Yes, it would be brilliantly challenging. I would love to create a new Bond and find out what’s true for a new actor.  Seeing how you mix a gentleman who is also a spy but is also different from the Bond we know and love. 

What advice do you have for men to dress more like James Bond? 

Start to get fit. Even if you don’t look like Bond, people will notice the improvements. Train the body to look good and a great suit will sit better on you. Then get a tailored suit made for you. If you can afford it, get a great, expensive suit made for you. Great tailoring can make a difference and can correct a lot of things.

How important is it to get the right shoes and watch to match a tailored suit?
This is taken care of for Bond by OMEGA and people like Crockett and Jones. Their work brought the look of 007 together for Daniel Craig. I believe in men’s tailoring. I find the most beautiful bespoke suit is elegant, sophisticated and you keep it for years. You don’t need to have a lot. Three suits and a shirt made for you. Then you add the handmade shoes. It is better to start little and build your wardrobe with a few items that are of excellent quality.

Discover the 007 Special Issue Pens

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Following the release of the limited-edition 007 Spymaster Duo, Montegrappa introduces the 007 Special Issue, a sleek, all-metal design focused on portability and stealth. Precision-machined from black aluminium and brass, the open edition has industrial lines and sandblasted surfaces.

Engineered by Montegrappa in Italy, the 007 Special Issue is released in a high performance 14K gold nib fountain pen and rollerball. Design elements include a brass blind cap, aluminium grip section, 007 shadow logo and unique hollow-point cap top with a rifled alloy insert, paying homage to the iconic gun barrel opening sequence. Covert details include minimalist trims, a discreet, low-profile clip, and an all-black aesthetic with precision machining at key grip points.

Mission-ready, the 007 Special Issue is practical for all writing assignments and comes with a companion 007 notebook and zip case, with spare cartridges and refills.

The rollerball is £675 and in stock now at 007Store.com, the fountain pen is £1,165 and available to order with a two week delivery time.

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Royal Mint Six Decades Of 007 Collection

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With unique coins dedicated to every era of Bond, The Royal Mint introduces the Six Decades of 007 collection. This exclusive series features six designs – each representing a different decade – minted in a range of different metals and denominations.

The first to be released is the 1960s coin featuring Little Nellie from You Only Live Twice set against a backdrop of the six Bond ‘60s film titles. 

Discussing the design process, The Royal Mint designer Christian Davies commented: “‘Little Nellie’ was a real challenge. It’s such a complex machine; there are so many struts, pipes and mechanical parts to it that it needed to be simplified in the design process without losing the essence of the vehicle. We managed to spend about a week just exploring how the propeller ought to be depicted.”

The collection includes a £5 Crown Brilliant Uncirculated coin, bullion and gold and silver proof editions in ¼ oz, 1 oz and 2 oz variants. Explore it now at 007Store.com.

007: Road To A Million Teams Talk Adventures

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From Chile to Venice, the Amazon to Swiss Alps, the nine pairs of 007: Road To A Million contestants experienced highs and lows as they faced gruelling physical challenges and questions from The Controller. Here they tell 007.com about this life changing show…

Beth And Jen

Emergency nurses Beth (46) and Jen (41), who have years of experience dealing with traumas around the world.

What did you think you learned about each other during the adventure?

BETH: We realised that we’re actually very resilient. We’ve both got different strengths that really supported each other as a team. I feel as though we can hand on heart say this was 100% a team effort. We’ve developed an even closer friendship. I hope Jen doesn’t mind that I sometimes refer to her as my second sister.

JEN: I just got to know Beth a lot better. As Beth said, we just became really close. We just trust each other like family.

What were your favourite locations?

BETH: I loved Jamaica. I’ve never been before. It’s a real home of Bond and a beautiful place to go to.

JEN: For me, it was Switzerland which was so beautiful with the snow and the mountains. And of course, driving the DB5 made it.

What was the most difficult challenge?

JEN: Definitely scuba diving. I’m claustrophobic and I found it really difficult. At one point I had a mini panic attack. I couldn’t control my breathing and had to go back to the surface. Having gone through the panic, I just thought, “I’ve got to do this, there’s no way I can get out of this.” I did manage to get right down to the bottom of the depth we were diving at. I’d say it was one of the most challenging things I’ve done.

BETH: The Amazon. I was going through a vast expanse of Amazon water with piranhas and then having to use physical strength to get myself up and out onto a speedboat. It was just fatiguing really quickly. Also, heights weren’t great for me.

What was your favourite James Bond Easter Egg?

JEN: Probably the casino set-up in Jamaica. That was very James Bond!

BETH: We were glammed up to the nines, and we just went through this huge door into a room where you thought, “Yeah, we’re now in the movie”.

What would you say is your ultimate James Bond film?

BETH: I do like Casino Royale and the way it was filmed. I like Daniel Craig’s Bond as a character. There’s a humanity to him. Casino Royale was everything that you wanted, with real action.

JEN: I’m really torn, because I do like a lot of the older films as I grew up watching them as my dad’s a big fan. But I really liked Daniel Craig’s. So I’m split between Skyfall and From Russia With Love or Diamonds Are Forever. They’re the classic ones that I’ve seen more times than I can count.

What advice would you give to people wanting to taking part in the show?

JEN: You can’t revise anything. I guess it’s good to have some general knowledge and be as physically fit as you can be. That helped me.

BETH: 100% on the physical fitness but also get used to surviving without sleep. As nurses, we’re very blessed, we’ve had years of that!

How would you sum up your 007: Road To A Million experience in three words?

BETH: Marvellous, mad and minted.

JEN: Life-changing adventure.

 

Joey And James

Joey (43) and James (37) are two highly competitive brothers from South London 

You finally got to meet all the other contestants at the premiere. How was that?

JAMES: It was a real pleasure to catch up with everyone. You’re so wrapped up in your own journey while you’re doing it so to have a night that brought everyone together was so lovely. We are the only people in the world who have got this shared experience at this stage.

JOEY: Put it this way: the two Scottish girls, Grace and Daniella, started a WhatsApp group and it’s red hot. 

What was your favourite location?

JOEY: Jamaica!

JAMES: Obviously the weather helped. It was chilled but it was rugged. We were in the Caribbean sea and we then went through the streets. It was just brilliant.

 Which was the most challenging location?

JOEY: Challenge wise, I would say probably Brazil. We had a three-day trek through the Amazon jungle which obviously brings trials and tribulations. We slept out under the stars and then we had to climb Sugarloaf Mountain. It felt like it was never ending. That was a long stint of the expedition.

JAMES: I’ve got to say the Alps. Walking up some of those mountains in about five feet of snow is no easy task.

How life-changing has it been winning thousands of pounds?

JOEY: It speaks for itself. You can do a hell of a lot with it, it’s been life changing for me.

JAMES: Yeah. I am about to pay off my student loan. Joe and I are both self-employed so it gives us a bit of breathing space. The whole thing was an experience we will treasure forever.

What was your favourite Bond Easter Egg in the series?

JAMES: The bar we went into in Jamaica was great. And then obviously me being on top of the cable car in Brazil, that’s a classic — a bit of a hairy experience.

JOEY: Just ripping around the Caribbean sea — you wouldn’t do that in everyday life. Or if you did, it would have cost you a fortune and we were doing it for free. It’s just fantastic.

What is your ultimate James Bond film?

JOEY: Skyfall. I like the way it goes back to basics. There’s not the crazy gadgets like in the previous films. It’s more about Bond himself.

JAMES: I’ve gone back and watched every James Bond film. I always loved the older ones growing up. I love Roger Moore because he’s brought a perfect British comic aspect to it but I really feel like the Daniel Craig films which are in a league of their own.

What advice would you give to contestants in the next series of Road To A Million?

JOEY: Try and be a little bit fit. You are not as fit as you think you are! Use each other’s knowledge and bounce off each other to analyse the question but don’t over analyse it.

JAMES: I’d say just take one step at a time. Don’t try and think too far ahead, just try and enjoy it. Don’t come out of it with any regrets.

How would you sum up your Road To A Million experience in just three words?

JOEY: Best. Thing. Ever.

 

Kamara And Josh

Married couple Kamara (30) and Josh (42) met as youth workers in their local community. Parents to three young children.

What did you learn about each other during the adventure?

KAMARA: I know this is going to sound really gooey and cliché but it was his love for me, in terms of knowing he’s got my back. I think that was something that I needed to be reminded of. He’s 100% into making sure our relationship works, we are stronger and achieve our goals. I think before, like any relationship, there’s umming and ahhing, but Road To A Million really solidified our relationship. Josh is mine, he’s my husband.

JOSH: For me, it was a catalyst to what I already knew about Kamara. We needed something to happen in our lives that would reinforce and re-engage what we knew about each other. We knew how much love we had for each other, how much trust we had for each other, but there was nothing to actually demonstrate that until this adventure happened. Our relationship was a bit sketchy before. This absolutely put us back in line, the trust element and the love that we have for each other.

What location was the most challenging?

JOSH: Every stage was really challenging for me, because they read my profile. They knew my biggest fear was height. And most of the activities did involve some kind of height. I was like, “Really? Seriously?” In Chile, we were tasked to ascend one of the volcanoes, and I had every single emotion you can imagine. I laughed hysterically. I had to keep telling myself, “You got this Josh, keep going”. That experience will live with me until the day I die.

How life changing has winning the money been?

KAMARA: We don’t want to use that money in a silly manner in terms of splashing the cash. That’s not what we’re like. The money will be something to help us continue to build on.

What do you think you learn about yourself on this adventure?

KAMARA: I’ve learned to trust my decision making, and be a bit more confident in myself and our relationship as well.

JOSH: I’ve got these cobwebs that are all about self-doubt. I think I’ve got rid of some of them. There might be a few still lingering, but this experience certainly brushed away those cobwebs. I’m a lot more confident. There used to be a rigorous risk management process before I tackled anything, but now it’s like, “Just do it, Josh”.

 

Keith And Nick

Keith (54) and Nick (54) are two retired police officers.

How was the 007: Road To A Million premiere?

KEITH: I’m still pinching myself. Being such a huge fan of the franchise to meet Barbara Broccoli was like meeting royalty.

NICK: It was very surreal meeting the other contestants. There was a bond when we walked in that room, even though we’d never met any of them. I know that sounds really bonkers but that bond was born from this unique thing we’ve all experienced.

What did you learn about each other during the adventure?

NICK: Keith snores!

Is there any sense this experience changed your relationship?

KEITH: It’s made it stronger.

NICK: Yep, if anything, it strengthened what we knew about each other.

What were the most memorable locations and challenges?

NICK: Scotland. I have a love of the mountains, the open space and to be pushed in an environment that I love, you couldn’t ask for more than that.

KEITH. I loved the scenery and the fact that within ten minutes of starting Nick managed to fall over. It was like, “Is this really how it’s going to be?” Also just looking at it screams Skyfall. If you had to pick an iconic location, Skyfall was it for me.

What is your ultimate favourite James Bond film?

NICK: I love the old ones, Sean Connery’s and Roger Moore’s, because they’re very suave and sophisticated. And there was an element to them that was fantastical. But then you’ve got Daniel Craig’s that were gritty and have much more depth. I love them all.

KEITH: I’ve got so many. The Spy Who Loved Me was the first one I saw when I was a child, so that’s always held a special place in my heart. Goldeneye, when I saw 007 going off that dam, I thought, “This is Bond”. And any of the Daniel Craig films. It sounds really daft, but I’m only a few months younger than Daniel Craig so he almost became like a wardrobe consultant for me. If he can get away with wearing it, I can get away with wearing it.

NICK: We’ve suggested that me and Keith would be pretty good for Bond: The Retirement Years.

KEITH: Or at least just henchman number two.

How would you sum up your 007: Road To A Million experience in three words?

KEITH: Hard. Fun. Amazing.

NICK: Challenging. Fantastic. Fun.

 

 

Sana And Saiqa

Siblings Sana (24), a process engineer, and Saiqa (23), a fraud analyst.

What did you learn about each other during the adventure?

SAIQA: Sana’s really good under pressure. She definitely carried us to the end. She’s not the most athletic person but she really pushes through. She keeps herself composed and manages the pressure really well. I’ve definitely learnt to be more calm minded because of her. I’m never going to say that ever again.

SANA: You’ve got that recorded, right? 

Has the experience changed your relationship in any way?

SAIQA: We’ve both realised the scope of what we’re capable of doing if we work together. There’s so many other experiences that we don’t want life to get in the way of. I think that’s one thing that this show has taught us: keeping time for this stuff is really important. You don’t see people who look like us on TV very often. The response that we’ve already received from our family and friends has been so inspiring and encouraging.

SANA: We’ve grown to a point where we’ve been doing our own things in our lives. On the show there were so many highs and lows, it was like a secret that only we had between ourselves. It brought us really close together.

What is your ultimate James Bond film?

SAIQA: We are the Skyfall generation. We don’t know the previous films but our grandfather talks about them a lot. When we came back from the premiere, and we told him that we met Barbara Broccoli, he was like, “You met Barbara Broccoli?” So, he’s an absolute fanatic. 

SANA: When we were younger we used to dress up as James Bond. We used to have our own secret language at home growing up. We were very much into that whole spy thing.

Now that you’ve been in a James Bond adventure, what advice would you have for other teams in future series?

SAIQA: The advice that we could give you is not going to match what’s actually going to happen because they will put you in situations that are out of your comfort zone. You should expect anything. Hit the gym. It’s definitely like a physical challenge.

SANA: Keep up to date on your general knowledge, especially in James Bond locations. Also pick a partner that you can go through everything and anything with.

How would you sum up your 007: Road To A Million experience in three words?

SAIQA: Outside comfort zone.

SANA: Mind-blowing. Although that’s only one compound word.

 

Grace And Daniella

Grace (31) and Daniella (30), two colleagues who met working in Scottish radio.

What are your most vivid memories of the premiere?

GRACE: Well, it was my first ever premiere so it was very glammy. Meeting Brian Cox was amazing.

DANIELLA: Brian Cox is a good Scottish man, He seems like he’s my Da. He was on very good form, looking very cool. His being connected to this series is crazy. 

What did you learn about each other during the adventure?

DANIELLA: Grace was strong enough and more than capable of doing these things.

GRACE: I learned nothing can make Daniella sad. She got midgey bites and looked so sore but she was laughing and giggling and still had the usual banter. She was the ray of sunshine you needed all the way through. I also learned if I ate more I wouldn’t be such a wee crabby thing.

How did your relationship change?

GRACE: We realised we can trust each other. At times I depended on her, at other times she depended on me. I also learned maybe we should open up to each other more. There’s stuff I didn’t know about her because I got to know her in a work capacity.

DANIELLA: I agree. That deep-rooted personal connection was perhaps something we glossed over in the past.

What was your favourite Bond Easter Egg in the series?

GRACE: We were on the roof of the museum in Venice and we could see the whole landscape, from the boats to all the tourists. That just felt like something straight out of a James Bond film.

DANIELLA: I thought our second day in Scotland was the most James Bond-y. We had to hijack a Land Rover, break into a castle, navigate our way through the gardens, track down an ancient house and break into it. That was fairly James Bond.

What’s your ultimate James Bond film?

DANIELLA: Daniel Craig ones. He brought the franchise more up to date.

GRACE: Probably one of the earlier ones from the ‘60s, maybe Goldfinger. That’s what I remember watching with my granddad and uncle when I was younger.

What did you learn about yourself?

GRACE: That I shouldn’t take life too seriously. I think the whole reason I went into this show was because I constantly work. I never do anything for me. So I learned to just do something a bit spontaneous, crazy and fun. Life’s too short is the lesson I’ve taken from this whole series.

DANIELLA: For me, it would be to trust myself. I went into it with all this pressure. I want to carry Scotland, I want to carry women, I want to do it for my family. I should have just been having a laugh with my pal but I just had this big backpack of responsibility on the whole time. I learned I should just do things for me, not in a selfish way, and just trust myself.

 

Danny And Colin

Danny (41) and Colin (51), two self-prescribed “brothers from another mother”. 

What are your most vivid memories of the premiere?

DANNY: It was fantastic. I’ve never been part of a premiere before.

COLIN: It’s not a normal Thursday evening when you are standing around at a party at Battersea Power Station and Barbara Broccoli comes over and starts chatting to you and your wife.

What did you learn about each other during the adventure?

DANNY: I learned two things. The first being we both like each other’s company. We were spending 24 hours a day with each other, sleeping in the same room. I learned that we’re very similar. The second thing would be how supportive Colin is. I never felt like I was a spare part. I always felt part of the adventure I was on. I think that’s a great leadership trait.

COLIN: I learned Danny is very curious about people. The other thing was watching him stepping up to the plate with some of these challenges. Watching him deal with them and grow was quite inspiring. I was proud of him.

What was the most difficult challenge?

COLIN: The producers know how to prey on your weaknesses. So, for me, water is not my thing.

DANNY: It was heights when we went to Turkey. I don’t like them. 

What was your favourite James Bond Easter Egg?

DANNY: I don’t know anything about James Bond so it was Colin who pointed out, “This is what happened in this film or that film.”

COLIN: I was geeking out all over the place. We’re standing outside the door of a hotel in Turkey. I was like, “This is where he comes out in Skyfall.” Every location just gave me goosebumps. I suppose the main one was being in Scotland. The road to Skyfall was on the bucket list and then we just got dropped off there in the middle of nowhere. That was a good one.

What is the ultimate James Bond film?

COLIN: I don’t have a favourite. I’m a Craig, Connery and Dalton fan. I prefer the hard-edge stuff. This interview is a full circle moment for me because my brother-in-law sent me some Dr. No casino chips that he bought for me from 007.com. I went to the website to have a look and that was where I saw the details of 007: Road To A Million. 

What did you learn about yourself during this process?

DANNY: We’ve got to try and take as many experiences as we can with the time we’ve got. I learned that the next holiday that I’ll go on is not going to be in a hotel where it’s all inclusive. I’m going to do something that’s not conventional. I’m going to do something that takes me out of my comfort zone.

COLIN: If you do the same thing over and over, you don’t grow. Whereas, if you put yourself in these situations and give it your all, you find out more about yourself.

How would you sum up your 007 Road To A Million experience in three words?

DANNY: Relationships. Experience. Uncomfortable.

COLIN: Experience. Resilience. Adventure.

 

James And Sam

James (50) and Sam (21) are a father and son team.

What were your most vivid memories of the premiere?

SAM: Oh, it was absolutely amazing. It blew our socks off. We were expecting maybe a couple of cameras but then there was a helicopter parked outside in front of us. And then Barbara Broccoli came up to us with open arms like she had known us for years. It was out of this world.

What was favourite location, and which was the most challenging?

JAMES: My particular favourite was when we spent an entire day and night crossing the Atacama desert in Chile, watching the sun go down. It was so humbling just to see a spectacular sunset and feel so isolated in the middle of nowhere.

SAM: The most challenging one was the time trial in Italy. It was a race against the clock. That was after we had just finished the F1 at Monza. It was like we actually got a taste of being Bond. It was nuts.

Do you think it changed your relationship in any way?

JAMES: It brought us to a deeper level. I’ve always had a relationship with my son where he’s been my child. But he’s not a child anymore, he’s a young man. So, given the opportunity to spend so much time together, I feel like the show brought the relationship from a father’s relationship with his child to an old man’s relationship with a young adult.

SAM: I’ve always idolised my dad. I guess I just got to see the adventurous side of him. I hope we can do more stuff like this really. 

What was your favourite Bond Easter Egg in the series?

SAM: James Bond has three main tropes: cars, watches, and expensive drinks. Whether it was driving a classic Jag around Lake Como, sipping Bollinger out of the bottle or wearing OMEGA watches in awesome locations, we got to experience every last bit of it. It was just too cool.

JAMES: For me the most iconic Bond moment was when we hit this location beacon in the desert that features in Spectre, it calls in the cavalry, and we were just waiting. In the morning, as the sun’s coming up, we see this cloud of smoke in the distance. As it gets closer and closer this Rolls Royce with a chauffeur pulls up. He opens the door and doesn’t say a word. That was the most iconic Bond moment. 

What is your ultimate James Bond film?

JAMES: I’m a real Sean Connery fan. It was a very different kind of James Bond character from the ones that followed. Having said that, I am also like Timothy Dalton.  So, I’m torn between any of the Sean Connery ones and The Living Daylights.

SAM: I’m going to say Daniel Craig fan because he’s the Bond that I grew up with.

What did you learn about yourselves during this session?

JAMES: I’m at a stage in life where I’ve reached the pinnacle of my career. I’m over the hill in terms of my age, and going on this adventure showed me there’s still a bit of fight in the old pup yet. I’ve still got plenty of adventure left in me. In fact, Sam has been saying to me, “Dad, this is just the beginning.” I’m up for that.

 

Tanaka And James

Old school friends Tanaka (28) and James (28).

What were your favourite locations during the adventure?

TANAKA: Scotland was really nice. We went to the Isle of Skye. We were really lucky with the weather, it was really beautiful. It was a hiking challenge where we had to navigate instructions and then we went in a rowing boat. Fortunately, James was able to lead the way on the rowing boat because I didn’t have a clue. Then he had to jump into a pool.

JAMES: It was the coldest water I’ve ever touched in my life. The case I had to retrieve was so heavy as well. Tanaka didn’t help me!

TANAKA: I was cheering you on. I was lifting the case in spirit.

What did you learn about each other during the adventure?

TANAKA: I learnt that he can row a boat. I think if James wants to do something, he can do it. 

JAMES: Tanaka’s like my right hand. I feel like I know him very well, we’re very similar.

What was your favourite Bond Easter Egg in the series?

TANAKA: It felt most like James Bond before filming even started. When we got to the airport, everything was secret. They took our phones off us and then we were sent to this house in the middle of nowhere. I thought this was basically survival mode, anything could happen to us.

JAMES: When we got in the taxi to go to the first place, the person who was transitioning us didn’t want us to know anything. I asked the taxi driver how long the journey would be and he said, “Two hours.” That’s when I knew we were in for an adventure.

What is your ultimate James Bond film?

TANAKA: I’d say Die Another Day. I think that was the one that when I was younger I was able to watch properly and understand what was going on.

JAMES: My favourite James Bond was Pierce Brosnan.

TANAKA: He was probably the Bond of our generation growing up.

Now that you’ve been in a James Bond adventure, what advice would you have for other teams in a potential future series?

TANAKA: Don’t stress, just have fun. The money is not yours. What is money at the end of the day? It’s about having a good time with your friend or relative.

JAMES: Respect the camera crew. I felt like we were one big family. The crew were so funny. They made loads of jokes and we gave them a bit of banter. I would love to meet them again.

Bond And The Macallan’s Shared Scottish Heritage

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James Bond and The Macallan are bound together by a shared Scottish heritage. In a video series from the master whisky distillers directed by Angelica Zollo, producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli discuss Bond’s Scotland.

“His Scottish roots were really fundamental to who he was as a character,” Broccoli explains of James’ upbringing at Skyfall Lodge. “When it got to the point in the story where Bond had to find the most remote place where he could keep M safe, he thought about his childhood home.”

The new video series marks the latest collaboration between 007 and The Macallan. Last October for Bond’s 60th anniversary, a limited edition collection of six bottles was released each detailing a different decade of 007 with bespoke imagery.

The official whisky partner of the James Bond franchise, The Macallan featured in Skyfall and Spectre.

Bond’s Scotland

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From the Highlands to the Lowlands, Scotland has always had a special place in the heart of the James Bond franchise. Not only is it the homeland of Sean Connery who first brought 007 to life, but its rugged landscapes and historic castles have served as the backdrop for some of the most memorable moments across many of the Bond movies.

Cairngorms National Park – No Time To Die

Tension reaches a high point in No Time To Die when Bond (Daniel Craig) is alerted that Safin’s henchman Logan Ash (Billy Magnus) is nearby. A high-stakes car chase ensues, featuring Bond, Madeleine (Léa Seydoux), and their daughter Mathilde, escalating further when Madeleine and Mathilde are kidnapped, leaving Bond distraught. Though framed as the Norwegian countryside, the chase was actually filmed on Ardverikie Estate, within Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park. This park is the UK’s largest national park, and home to one-quarter of Scotland’s native forest. The Cairngorms portion of this sequence was shot from July 17th to August 2nd, while the forest section of the sequence took place at Buttersteep Forest, Windsor Great Park from August to October.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SPjEQZt91WohoQ2S8

Glen Coe & Glen Etive – Skyfall

Bond (Daniel Craig) and M (Judi Dench) embark on a journey through the Scottish Highlands to evade Silva in Skyfall. Their drive takes them along the A82, framed by the impressive peaks of Buachaille Etive Mor and Buachaille Etive Beag in Glen Coe. The duo seeks refuge in Bond’s family home, Skyfall Lodge, located in the neighboring Glen Etive. Bond Author Ian Fleming’s family had owned a lodge in Glen Etive, which neighbors Glen Coe, adding a layer of real-world connection to the film. These rural locations known for their rugged landscapes are within the region of Argyll in the Scottish Highlands. Although the home’s exteriors are set against the stunning landscapes of Scotland, the interiors were captured at Pinewood Studios in the weeks following the Highlands shoot. 

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fiPbxp7zf49UKPS97

Eilean Donan Castle – The World Is Not Enough

The first three weeks of filming for The World Is Not Enough included scenes set in M’s office and the MI6 briefing room, both appear to be situated within Eilean Donan Castle, which served as Thane Castle, the film’s Scottish MI6 headquarters. In one of these scenes, Q (Desmond Llewelyn) has a set of bagpipes with a hidden machine gun mechanism demonstrated to James Bond (Pierce Brosnan). A portrait of the original M (Bernard Lee) can also be found hanging behind the desk of the current M (Dame Judi Dench). The castle, strategically located on the small tidal island of Eilean Donan in Scotland’s Western Highlands, was once a pivotal fortification against Viking invasions, mirroring its cinematic role as a fortress for MI6 operations.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JPe8H3LRJ9BEocw17

Gare Loch – The Spy Who Loved Me 

In The Spy Who Loved Me a pivotal moment unfolds at Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, situated on the eastern shore of Gare Loch in Argyll. Here, Bond (Roger Moore) dons a full navy uniform and discovers that British submarines have been targeted in a scheme by the villain Stromberg (Curd Jurgens). Adding a layer of authenticity, the loch runs from Helensburgh to Garelochhead and is perhaps most notable for being the home of the naval base Faslane.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2iqrpmemBVsRKC8p7

Lochgilphead – From Russia With Love

Bond (Sean Connery) finds himself in a sky-high showdown with a SPECTRE helicopter. The scene unfolds over Barrachuile Hill, north of Lochgilphead in Argyll, Scotland. Known for its stunning natural landscapes, Lochgilphead’s rolling hills and lush forests served as a breathtaking backdrop. The crew arrived in Lochgilphead on June 30 and faced a series of challenges, from bad weather to mechanical setbacks, before finally wrapping up the shoot on July 4.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/42TuQCZ2N9N3Q7dU9

Loch Craignish – From Russia With Love

In the From Russia With Love boat chase sequence, Bond (Sean Connery) and Russian agent Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) find themselves pursued by SPECTRE agents. Although the scene is set to occur off the Turkish coast, filming complications led to the decision to shoot the scene on Loch Craignish, near Crinan in Argyll, Scotland. The action kicks off at the pier of Lunga House and concludes in the waters of Loch Craignish. 

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BqACxbaRCvUTSNMR9

BOGNER x 007

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Performance sportswear brand BOGNER have unveiled their 2023 007 capsule collection.  The collection features complete ski outfits for men and women, as well as ski hardware and accessories.

Willy Bogner Junior coordinated the world’s first action ski scenes for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) and then went on to work on three more Bond productions, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981) and A View To Kill (1985).

“One day someone asked me on the phone if I wanted to be a cameraman on the next James Bond film,” Willy Bogner Jr recalled about the start of his Bond career. “When you get a call like that as a film amateur who never went to film school, you assume it’s a joke!”. The call was no joke as the caller turned out to be Albert R. Broccoli, and now over 50 years on, the partnership continues. 

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Official 2023 Christmas Gift Guide Part 2

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We bring you more from the 2023 James Bond Christmas Guide, including a festive round-up of the best present ideas for kids, gifts to personalise, inspiration for the family and tree decorations.

For kids

The James Bond Playmobil set will give hours of ejector-action fun while Mathile’s hand knitted dou dou bunny and Steiff’s Bond teddy are must haves. If you want to keep them busy over the Christmas break, try a build-your-own model kit. They can piece together classic Bond vehicles, including the silver birch DB5, Moonraker shuttle and GoldenEye Tiger Eurocopter. Strategy lovers will enjoy the dastardly SPECTRE board game. How about a mini 007 t-shirt? Choose from a range of sizes, colours and designs for kids and teens, including Scaramanga’s flying car and ‘The next 007’. James Bond chocolate bars from Charbonnel et Walker are alway well received, while a Secret Service iD card will give any junior agent authentic credentials.   

Personalised gifts

Make it unique with a 007-inspired present bearing their name or initials. For 2023, new 007 leather luggage tags may be personalised in a range of colours, including red and sky blue. Want something a little darker? Choose a personalised SPECTRE accessory. Make your mark on Christmas Day with a SPECTRE bag tag, embossed card holder or A5 notebook. Or elevate their next journey with a travel-themed 007 gift. Get them ready for action with a red leather travel wallet featuring double zips for money, cards and passport, or a personalised leather and suede accessories case to keep their Omega, cufflinks and jewellery safe at home and away. Games lovers will enjoy the personalised leather 007 poker set, while martini makers will appreciate a monogrammed 007 cocktail shaker to add to their bar. 

For the family

Get puzzling in unique style with Bond-shaped pieces in the new wooden jigsaws range. Take to the skies with the 250 piece set, featuring The Man With The Golden Gun’s iconic AMC Hornet corkscrew jump in Thailand. Bring the family together for games night with 007 Cluedo, Bond Bingo or Monopoly, or test each other on Bond gadgets with Q Branch Top Trumps. A 2024 wall calendar will help map out the year in style, or treat them to a perfect movie night with some 007 martini popcorn and a boxset. The holiday break is the perfect excuse to restock the library with essential Bond books. There’s always more to discover with Taschen’s The James Bond Archives Book, which shares the detail behind the detail, and covers the 61-year history of the film series – now in four languages. 

For the tree

Handmade, embroidered and beaded, the James Bond tree decorations bring iconic elements of the Bond universe to your festivities. The union jack parachute and yellow ski suit pay homage to The Spy Who Loved Me’s opening stunt. The Bond crest calls up the history of the family, while 007’s black silk bow tie and sparkling martini glass draw on high octane evenings. Dial up the stakes with Bond’s winning cards of Texas Hold’em poker and the 100,000 euro casino chip, both from the Casino Royale in Montenegro, or step into the shadows with a shimmering black SPECTRE symbol. Three new designs are launching this Christmas so watch out for James Bond in black tie, Blofeld’s white cat and the On Her Majesty’s Secret Service skiing James, coming soon.

See the complete range at 007Store.com.

007: Road To A Million Premiere In London

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Last night, attendees walked the carpet at London’s Battersea Power Station in celebration of the launch of Prime Video’s adventure series 007: Road To A Million. The show sees contestants competing in pairs on a global adventure to win the ultimate prize of £1million.

Brian Cox – who stars in the series as The Controller – was joined by EON Productions’ Barbara Broccoli and Gregg Wilson, 72 Films’ David Glover and the series director Julian Jones alongside all the contestants. A Q&A panel was hosted by Lauren Laverne following the screening of Episode 1.

The event showcased iconic Bond vehicles some of which have appeared in the series: the Jaguar C-X75 (Spectre), Triumph Scrambler (No Time To Die), Rolls Royce Wraith Sedana (Spectre), Jaguar XKR (Die Another Day), Aston Martin DB5 (No Time To Die), alongside the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation Car.

Guests were also invited to tackle challenges recreated from the series, with £1M of gold bullion cast bars provided by the Royal Mint, showcasing the incredible prize on offer. A fleet of Defenders transported creators through a series of missions and Bond inspired challenges across London ending up at the venue.