Former Hartlepool journalist has licence to shock by sharing same name as James Bond

As the new movie in the franchise, No Time To Die, comes out, James spoke about what it’s like to share the same name as one of the most iconic fictional characters of all time.

Although it has caused some problems in the past when people disbelieve him, on the whole he said it is great to have the same name as the superspy.

James worked for the Mail’s sports desk from the late 1970s to the mid 80s and now covers sport for BBC Radio Shropshire.

He said: “It’s a great name to have. There’s no bad connotation to James Bond.

"As a journalist it’s a great name because no one ever forgets it.

"In a poll a few years ago it came out as the second best name behind Jesus Christ.”

But James remembered a couple of times that having the famous moniker caused problems back in Hartlepool.

Once was when he tried to get into the Gemini nightclub as a young reporter.

"I said ‘I’m James Bond from the Hartlepool Mail’ and the bouncers said ‘yeah right!’

"It took me several attempts to get in.”

Another occasion was when he was refereeing a football game at Grayfields during a confrontation with a player at the end of the match.

"He came nose to nose with me and said ‘what’s your name?’ When I told him all hell broke loose.”

At 63, James, who used to live at the Fens, was born before the first 007 film Dr No hit cinemas in 1962.

"My mother had never heard of James Bond,” he said.

Appropriately given his name, he is a fan of the movies and says he will definitely be going to see the new film, which cinema bosses hope will bring audiences back after the pandemic.

Hartlepool United fan James added: "Every time a new film came out we all went as a family.

"It’s great entertainment and has lasted all these years and deservedly so.”

James’s career has seen him cover the Barcelona Olympics and the Commonwealth Games in Canada.

No Time To Die’s first screening at Vue Hartlepool was due to be 12.01am today.

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