James Bond: Sean Connery’s genuine terror was captured in this dangerous Thunderball scene

Following Dr No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger, 1965’s Thunderball was set to be even bigger for Sean Connery’s James Bond. On a budget that was more than the last three 007 movies combined, the Hollywood star even performed the gun-barrel sequence for the first time himself. 

Thunderball, which is on ITV today at 4pm, famously features a number of underwater scuba diving scenes in which Connery’s Bond encounters sharks.

When filming, he was supposed to be protected by clear plastic panels shielding in the close-up.

However, the only problem was that these only extended around three feet in height and the predators could swim over them. 

As a result, the 007 star ended up getting much closer to them, especially during the pool fight at Largo’s mansion.

Beswick, who previously played a Bond girl in From Russia with Love recalled: “One time, we’d finished filming for the day, and there were hundreds of people milling around on the beach, all roped off watching. Sean called to the set hairdresser, ‘Here, you’, and then he simply pulled off his toupée and threw it at the hairdresser. The hairpiece sailed over like a Frisbee and as the hairdresser caught it, Sean said something like, ‘That’s it, I’m off.’ Everyone just collapsed. It was the funniest thing.”