FORMER Bond Girl Honor Blackman returned to Poole in a show which pays tribute to the comedy duo she turned down years ago.

Famous for her role as Pussy Galore in Goldfinger, recently the actress has become better known for comedy than serious roles.

She was in Coronation Street and sitcom The Upper Hand with Joe McGann and has recently appeared on stage in The Play What I Wrote.

Speaking after her performance in that play at Poole's Lighthouse on Monday January 31, the 77-year-old actress said: "I'm at that stage when I want to do things for fun. The idea of doing a play and eight performances a week is too much. I had to do that when my children were growing up but now I want to have a laugh."

Honor, who is a mother of two and has a 21-month old grandson, explained: "I much prefer comedy because it's fun and in general more difficult.

"I love doing this show but it's hard to keep a straight face sometimes."

The show is based around a double act with one half, Clive Hayward, trying to persuade the other, Kim Wall, to do a Morecambe and Wise show.

But Mr Wall wants to perform his own play set in the French Revolution, which he eventually persuades a star - which varies every night - to do.

Remembering Morecambe and Wise, Honor said: "I was one of the first people who was asked to appear on the show, but my agent and I thought they would just send people up so I said 'no'. We didn't know what a success they would become."

She added: "Eric was so funny - although he wasn't like that in real life. I remember going to dinner with him and he was so serious, I thought 'He's not supposed to be like this'."

Honor has now appeared in about 40 films and most recently had a part in Coronation Street.

Her last time in Poole was in the 1980s when she appeared in Way of the World with actor Basil Hoskins.

She started acting at the age of 18 after attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

Her father inadvertently started her career in acting when he gave her the choice of a bicycle or elocution lessons for her 15th birthday.

Her family were worried her accent was becoming too Cockney so she opted for elocution lessons.

Her teacher advised her parents to enrol her in drama school and in 1962 she hit the big time when she got the part as Cathy Gale in The Avengers.

Then in 1964 she achieved international fame as Pussy Galore - at 37 years, Honor was the oldest Bond girl ever.

The actress now lives in London but also spends time at a home she recently bought in Spain.

Among her favourite modern movie stars are Al Pacino and Kevin Spacey.

And what is the greatest thing about the job she has been doing for 60 years? "Making it work," she said.

"I have a one woman show and I know that with each character I play the audience is with me. It sounds arrogant perhaps, but it gives you power and it's satisfying when you've got them."