Shirley Bassey singing at the BAFTA James Bond Tribute

On December 28th, 2002 Shirley Bassey was broadcasted on BBC1 in 'James Bond - A BAFTA Tribute' (BAFTA: British Academy of Film and Television Arts). Michael Parkinson hosted the evening. Guests were Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, George Lazenby and some bond girls like Halle Berry, Ursula Andress and more. Shirley Bassey sung "Diamonds are Forever".

At the end of the show she reappeared in a red gown to sing "Goldfinger". Parkinson introduced her: "Singing it with the same conviction that she did in 1964, please welcome again the enduring, the spectacular Shirley Bassey!"

As the credits rolled the Orchestra continued with her "Goldfinger Introduction" and above all the other names was written "Hosted by Michael Parkinson and Dame Shirley Bassey".
Very special thanks to "Gregory" for sending me the snapshots from TV-screen.

Times Review

From "The Times Online", December 30, 2002

Some will have found No Night is Too Long a welcome relief from all that self-congratulatory Christmas tinsel and fake snow. James Bond: A Bafta Tribute (BBC One, Saturday) was exactly what you would expect, with four of Cubby Broccoli's five Bonds appearing on stage to say how wonderful it all was, and Sean Connery saying the same thing on video.

It was an evening of spot-the-facelifts. The stars of the past looked so tight around the chops you feared what would happen if they laughed. The revelation was Shirley Bassey, or Burly Chassis as we used to call her when I were a lad. She doesn't look a day over 30 and still belts out Live and Let Die and Goldfinger with the power and energy of a woman half her age.

Note about the musical director

This time Shirley Bassey's musical director was not Colin Green, but according to the credits Peter Hagen. Additionally there were some other rumours about differences with Colin Green during the recording of the "Sings Bond" album (that had not been released), so that it may be that Peter Hagen is now her musical director, also for the 2003 tour. Fans who had seen the Bond Tribute told me that Hagen's arrangements were excellant.