Tom Jones: I nearly played Bond

The 70-year-old has revealed it was his dream to play the suave British secret agent in a movie. The part has previously been portrayed by stars including Sir Sean Connery and Roger Moore, and Tom was hopeful he might get a turn earlier in his career.

“When I was young I would have liked to be James Bond, and at one time it was discussed," he told the Smooth Radio.

To start with fame was on the side of the singer, as he already had a reputation among women across the world as a sex symbol, much like Bond.

The producer of the movie series, Cubby Broccoli, saw his potential to play the shaken martini-loving international womaniser because of his good looks, charm and charisma.

"I think it came from Cubby Broccoli, who was the man in charge, of course, and he said when my name was put forward, 'Tom Jones is so recognisable as Tom Jones - he's a character, he's become this singer with a big character,’” Tom explained.

But in the end, Tom's growing international notoriety was to go against him.

Producers of the Bond series decided fans might not think he was believable in the part.

"‘So in order for him to do James Bond, would people accept him as being James Bond?’” Tom said the producers asked. “‘Could they get past him being Tom Jones?' - and so apparently that was what the problem was.”

The singer, who has released a new album Praise & Blame this year, is likely to have been considered for the Bond role in the 1960s and 70s, when Sean had his tenure.