James Bond legend, 85, clings to walker alongside nurse just days after famous ex-wife reveals dementia battle

Daily Mail​

16-07-2025

The Australian actor who once stepped into the shoes of 007 was spotted out in Los Angeles on Friday—just days after his famous ex-wife revealed he's battling dementia.
George Lazenby, 85, appeared frail as he relied on a walker during a sunny afternoon outing, with a nursing aide staying close by his side.
It's been over 50 years since Lazenby suited up as James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service — his lone turn as the iconic spy— but the former heartthrob still managed to flash that old-school charm with a quick smile.
Dressed in a light blue polo and black pants, the Golden Globe-nominated actor kept a careful pace, even leaning on his nurse at one point as he made his way down the sidewalk.
The rare sighting comes after Lazenby's ex-wife, Wimbledon champion Pam Shriver, 63—who divorced the actor in 2008 after six years of marriage—penned a deeply personal essay about reuniting with Lazenby and stepping in as his caregiver as he 'enters the last phase of his life.'
'George is 85 now, and he has dementia, but he is still very much himself. A softer version of himself, perhaps – and this is the key,' she wrote for The Telegraph.
George Lazenby was spotted out in Los Angeles on Friday—just days after his famous ex-wife revealed he's battling dementia
The Australian actor, 85, appeared frail as he relied on a walker during a sunny afternoon outing, with a nursing aide staying close by his side
Dressed in a light blue polo and black pants, the Golden Globe-nominated actor kept a careful pace, even leaning on his nurse at one point as he made his way down the sidewalk
Pam and George first met at Wimbledon in 2000 and married two years later, when she was 40 and he was 63.
They went on to have three children before finalizing their divorce in 2011, citing irreconcilable differences.
However, their split was far from amicable.
'I won't pretend that it was anything less than horrific,' Pam admitted in the essay, adding, 'We didn't speak for two years.'
But over time, the former couple managed to put their rocky past behind them, especially as they now co-parent their children and face George's health decline together.
According to Shriver, the turning point came in January 2025, when the Los Angeles wildfires nearly trapped her ex.
'There was a moment, earlier this year, when he was caught up in the Los Angeles wildfires and only made it out by a whisker,''she wrote. 'That day, I realized how much he still means to me.'
'As George enters the last phase of his life,' she continued, 'I just want to extend this late period of reconciliation and renewal for as long as I can.'
It's been over 50 years since Lazenby suited up as James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service — his lone turn as the iconic spy— but the former heartthrob still managed to flash that old-school charm with a quick smile
Lazenby played James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, stepping into the role after Sean Connery's initial departure
Despite having no major acting experience, the Australian model landed the part with a bold audition — even wearing a Rolex and Savile Row suit to appear the part
The film earned strong reviews and has since gained cult status, but Lazenby famously turned down a seven-film contract, walking away from the franchise
'I did the best I could,' he said in Mark Edlitz's 2019 book The Many Lives of James Bond. 'I felt that I had to copy Sean Connery in a sense'
Now, the pair have settled into a quiet routine.
'We go for walks together, chatting about the kids and all the little anxieties which anyone with an older relative will recognise,' she shared.
'His dementia affects his short-term memory, but he tells stories about his younger days... climbing on to the boat to London in 1964 with just a few dollars in his pocket. Chasing the girl who left Canberra because her father did not want her associating with this guy from the wrong side of the tracks.'
She added, 'Now we have settled into a routine where I try to spend at least an hour with George every day when I am at home.
'It does not matter if the Tennis Channel shows the same matches all the time because he doesn't remember the details.'
Though his stint as Bond was short—just one film between Sean Connery's You Only Live Twice and Live and Let Die—Lazenby's impact as the only 007 to walk away from the role remains legendary.
As Pam recalled, 'He enjoyed all the high jinks he got up to during the nine-month filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service: the boozing, the weed-smoking, the assignations with various members of the cast.'
But not everything about being Bond came easy.
The rare sighting comes after Lazenby's ex-wife, Wimbledon champion Pam Shriver, 63—who divorced the actor in 2008 after six years of marriage—penned a deeply personal essay about reuniting with Lazenby and stepping in as his caregiver as he 'enters the last phase of his life' (Pam and George in 2006)
Though his stint as Bond was short—just one film between Sean Connery's You Only Live Twice and Live and Let Die—Lazenby's impact as the only 007 to walk away from the role remains legendary
As Pam recalled, 'He enjoyed all the high jinks he got up to during the nine-month filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service: the boozing, the weed-smoking, the assignations with various members of the cast'
'He also found it difficult to deal with all the expectations that went with a role of that size,' she wrote.
'He grew a beard for the premiere, just to annoy his bosses. And then, when they offered him £1 million to sign up for another six movies, he walked away.'
Looking back, Lazenby himself was modest about his 007 debut.
'I did the best I could,' he said in 2019's The Many Lives of James Bond. 'I felt that I had to copy Sean Connery in a sense.'