James Bond star George Lazenby living with ‘early stages of dementia’ reveals ex-wife
(Picture: Getty Images)
James Bond actor George Lazenby’s ex-wife has opened up about caring for the 85-year-old, who has been diagnosed with dementia.
The retired Australian actor is best known for his time playing 007 after he took over the role from Sean Connery. He played the suave MI6 agent once in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, marking the franchise’s shortest Bond tenure.
His former partner Pam Shriver, 63, whom he met 25 years ago and shares three children with – Kait, Sam and George – has spoken about his life now after confirming he is in the ‘early stages of dementia’ to the Telegraph.
Former US tennis player Shriver – who met Lazenby at Wimbledon in 2000, aged 37 – divorced him in 2008 but has remained close with him over the years, citing this as a time for ‘reconciliation and renewal’.
‘He has dementia, but he is still very much himself. A softer version of himself, perhaps – and this is the key,’ she told the publication.
In 2023, Lazenby was moved to sheltered housing in Pacific Palisades, but the care home was burned down in the fires which ripped through Los Angeles earlier this year.
Shriver discussed the terrifying experience, saying she ‘tried to reach him but became hopelessly gridlocked amid the chaos’ as the fires closed in.
‘The facility itself did not have transport for residents organised early enough, so thank goodness for the independent caregiver who comes every day to take him for walks.
‘She was able to evacuate him, shortly before the Palisades fire had crept up to the doorstep of the facility,’ she explained.
He has since relocated to Santa Monica in an ‘assisted living set up’.
‘We go for walks together, chatting about the kids and all the little anxieties which anyone with an older relative will recognise. His dementia affects his short-term memory but he tells stories about his younger days,’ she recalled.
She shared that the pair had previously agreed she would have ‘power of attorney’ if he ever ‘lost capacity’.
Alzheimer's and dementia: the facts
The most common forms of dementia (symptoms of a decline in brain function) are Alzheimer’s disease followed by vascular dementia.
Alzheimer’s is caused when plaques and tangles form in the brain making it increasingly hard for it to function properly. Early symptoms include forgetting recent events, struggling to remember words, becoming disorientated in familiar places and finding it difficult to concentrate.
Common early symptoms of vascular dementia include problems making decisions or following a series of steps, such as cooking a meal; slower speed of thought and trouble sleeping. The condition can also cause significant mood changes and depression and make people behave completely out of character.
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer – and one in three babies born today will develop dementia in their lifetime. The risk of developing both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia roughly doubles every five years from the age of 65. Women and men are affected equally. Diabetes, obesity, heart problems and high blood pressure all increase the risk.
However, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing the diseases by leading a healthy lifestyle – not smoking or drinking to excess, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise. Keeping mentally and socially active is also beneficial.
The third most common form of dementia – accounting for an estimated 20 per cent of cases – is Lewy body. With this condition, tiny clumps of protein appear in the brain’s nerve cells, causing a range of issues including mood swings, problems processing thoughts, hallucinations, difficulty balancing and walking slowly. Although DLB (dementia with Lewy body) can affect people under 65, it is much more common as we age, affecting men and women equally.
There is currently no cure for any of the forms of dementia. But getting an early diagnosis is very important in allowing you and your loved ones to access all the medical and social support available. If you are worried that you have any of the symptoms, your GP will be able to refer you to a specialist who can carry out a range of tests.
If you are worried that yours or someone else’s symptoms may be dementia, download the Alzheimer’s Society symptoms checklist, on alzheimers.org.uk; for more information or support on anything you’ve read here, call our support line on 0333 150 3456 or visit our website.
Towards the end of the piece, she added that he ‘ always had a great life force and it still burns brightly’ even though he is ‘slowing down’.
Nowadays, he is regularly asking if he’ll ever ‘have a car again’.
‘He has loved cars ever since he first drove his uncle’s vintage Plymouth down the country road in Goulburn as a small boy.
‘I always equivocate and say: “Maybe, you never know, but I don’t think so.” And then he’ll look at me with a spark of his old wilfulness. And he’ll say: “I can still drive better than anybody.”.
In February, the screenstar was spotted taking a stroll outside with a walker around a similar time that Amazon had announced they were taking total ‘creative control’ of the Bond franchise.
In July 2024, he announced his retirement from acting, saying it hadn’t been an ‘easy decision’.
‘I won’t be doing any more acting or making public appearances, doing any more interviews or signing any more autographs as of today. It’s been a fun ride but getting older is no fun.
‘I would like to thank my manager and friend, Anders Frejdh, for helping me since 2013 – the best representative I ever had.
‘I can now concentrate on spending more time with my family. My sincere gratitude to everyone out there for your love and support over the years. It has meant a lot to me. George xx,’ he wrote at the time.
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