Copyright dailystar
Younger Brits believe Roger Moore is the all-time greatest James Bond… while older TV viewers say Sean Connery is best. As fans wait to see who’ll be chosen as the next 007, Freeview channel Great Action quizzed the nation on their favourite action heroes, with a clear generational divide between older and younger film fans. Yet some older TV action heroes transcend age barriers, earning admiration from both younger and older generations alike. Britain’s best Bond remains the original 007, according to a survey of 2,000 TV viewers from across the nation. Five years on from his death on October 31, 2020, the late Connery was chosen by over a quarter (27%) of Brits, while slightly fewer (23%) picked his replacement Moore, who took over from the role in 1973, 2 years after Connery retired from the role. Daniel Craig, 57, who ducked out of the franchise after the latest movie, No Time To Die, was picked by fewer than one in 10 viewers (9%) in a poll quizzing viewers on their ultimate action heroes. For Gen Z - the UK’s youngest generation of adults aged 18 to 27 – however, suave ladies’ man Moore was the spy whom they loved most (22%) over tough-talking Connery (19%) and Skyfall star Craig (3%). Moore’s films are known for being lighter in tone and less serious than recent instalments. Moore scored an all-time high for a quarter of Millennials (26%), surpassing Connery (25%) and outpacing Craig (5%). For Gen X viewers, Sean (25%) bested Roger (21%), while for Baby Boomers the original Dr No star Connery held the true licence to thrill (34%) compared to the Live and Let Die actor (23%). Brits aged 55 and over said Connery was for Their Eyes Only too, and voted for by over a third (38%) of respondents in the study by Great, which is most-loved by viewers in the over-55s age range. The love for Connery only increases as Brits get older, as nearly half (45%) of 65-75 year olds rank the Bond star as their number one choice. A further six in ten (61%) of 75-year-olds and older also back the late Scottish actor as their favourite action star of all time. Connery was the standout favourite action hero for viewers in this over-55-year-old demographic, though the most popular overall was Bruce Willis. The Die Hard legend, 70, topped the table of ultimate action heroes for a third (32%) of UK viewers while two of Britain’s most beloved Bonds came in second and third. Overall, more than a quarter (27%) of British TV viewers voted for Connery, while ‘nobody does it better’ than Roger Moore for nearly a quarter (23%) of Brits. Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford, 83, was the fourth favourite (22%), followed by Sylvester Stallone, 79, star of the Rocky and Rambo series. John Wick, led by Keanu Reeves, 61, and Taken star Liam Neeson, 73, came in sixth and seventh in the table of all-time greats. The research follows a report, commissioned by Great, that explored viewing and streaming habits of older UK audiences who are being ‘forgotten’ by modern TV producers. It reveals older TV viewers prefer classic action heroes who had ‘proper grit’ over today's stars. The report found that a quarter (26%) of mature viewers feel forgotten by today’s TV producers, despite watching more television than any other age group, averaging three hours and 42 minutes a day. This study is part of the Great TV Network relaunch - driven by a mission to bring back the best of British television for a nation of forgotten viewers. The relaunch went live in September, and the Freeview 34 channel features UK TV favourites, including Rising Damp, Murder, She Wrote, and the Carry On classics. Marketing director for Great!, Kate Gartland, said: “No matter the age, TV viewers love older action stars – for the same reasons the majority of audiences say they love nostalgic programs. “That's exactly why we've relaunched the Great network of channels. Bringing back the best of television for the millions who want to see classic shows and movies, with the heroes they love.”
