This Week In Bond (December 9th, 2022)
We had heard rumblings earlier in the year, but it was still a surprise yesterday when ITV confirm they would broadcast the UK television premiere of ‘No Time To Die’ on New Year’s Day - just one year and three months since the film celebrated its world premiere.
As linear broadcast TV has suffered a decline in ratings since the explosion of channels and streaming options, let alone the rapid growth of gaming, a prime time slot on the country’s main commercial channel on a day when most people will be happy to slump on the sofa is still unlikely to reach the people it used to.
Starting in 1978, when United Artists signed a deal with ITV to show the first six Bond films (no more than two per year), a tradition was born. ‘The Christmas Bond Film’ became a fixture in the nation’s holiday planning. Stuffed with turkey after the Queen’s Speech, the nation collected in their living rooms with a tin of Quality Street ready for a 007 romp.
ITV’s broadcasts undoubtedly created a generation of Bond fans who saw their first film on TV, probably during the festive season. Any British Bond fan who grew up in the 1980s is likely to have formed or cemented their love for the series during these annual events.
‘The ITV Christmas Bond Film’
1978 - Diamonds Are Forever
1979 - Goldfinger
1980 - The Man With The Golden Gun
1981 - Dr. No
1982 - Moonraker
1983 - The Spy Who Loved Me
1984 - The Man With The Golden Gun
1985 - Moonraker
1986 - Never Say Never Again
1987 - The Spy Who Loved Me
1988 - Octopussy
1989 - On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Roger Moore dominated the 1980s on the big screen and also at home at Christmas with seven years out of the decade.
Did you grow up in the UK and remember Bond at Christmas? Is this a tradition you keep through home video? Let us know in the comments below.
News
Timothy Dalton is back in a new series starring as the villain opposite legends Dame Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford. ‘1923’ - a prequel to the popular series ‘Yellowstone’ - had its premiere in Las Vegas this week. It will stream on Paramount+. Dalton is currently appearing in the latest series of ‘The Crown’ on Netflix.
Listen
Today marks the 25th anniversary of ‘Tomorrow Never Dies,’ which enjoyed its world premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on this day in 1997. Earlier this year our podcast James Bond & Friends shaked the Bond cocktail to pick out this film's most potent ingredients, tooted the horn for underappreciated elements, and rounded up our favourite trivia tidbits
Watch
On the subject of James Bond at Christmas, our pal Calvin Dyson put together an analysis of which outings can be counted as Christmas movies.
Exit Through The Gift Shop
We will be launching our annual MI6 Confidential special publication on Thursday next week. If you haven’t done so already, it’s not too late to subscribe to make sure you secure your copy of this very special limited edition magazine. Spanning 140 pages, including contributions from a slew of big names from the Bond films, and penned by two leading Bond authors, this one is not to be missed!
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Yes, Roger Moore was my Christmas Bond! It was either a Bond or a World War Two movie at times of national holidays, sometimes both - which led to a cross-over...double Roger Moore!!
Fascinating news about Timothy Dalton being in "1923"!