Sir Sean Connery has enthused that Layer Cake star Daniel Craig is a "terrific choice" of star to follow on from Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.

Craig was named the new Bond in October, beating names such as Henry Cavill, Sam Worthington and Goran Visnjic to the role. "He's a good actor. It's a completely new departure," Connery stated.

Connery, who started his 007 stint in Dr. No in 1962, also explained to BBC1's Breakfast show why he left the franchise after 1983's Never Say Never Again, describing how he was "really fed up with the space stuff and special effects.

"I just found it getting more and more influential in the movies," he added.

Production on Casino Royale, Craig's first Bond outing, begins in January.