Sean Connery has gone down in history as one of the most iconic James Bond stars of all time. He kickstarted the EON films in 1962 playing 007 in Dr No – the first of his seven Bond movies. The star lived a long and successful life, before dying at the age of 90.

Jason ​said his father “had many of his family, who could be in the Bahamas, around him” when he died overnight in Nassau.

​He went on: “We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time.

“A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor.”

Connery’s publicist Nancy Seltzer said: “There will be a private ceremony followed by a memorial yet to be planned once the virus has ended.”

Three of Connery’s Bond movies included songs from legendary singer Shirley Bassey, who also commented on the star’s death.

She said: “I’m incredibly saddened to hear of Sean’s passing. My thoughts are with his family. He was a wonderful person, a true gentleman and we will be forever connected by Bond.”

Connery played 007 for five years before relinquishing the role to Australian star George Lazenby.

After Lazenby’s film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Connery was asked to return once again in 1971 to reprise his role in Diamonds Are Forever.

Connery famously played Bond over ten years later in 1983 in a non-EON movie, Never Say Never Again.

While promoting the film, Connery explained: “It’s really dense in terms of the story and subplot and texture – It’s like a detective story – and I have to take quite a bit of responsibility for that.

“Because I insisted that they go back to that sort of movie if I were going to do it, which, I suppose, is a certain kind of nostalgia on my part.”