Sir Sean Connery to answer difficult questions in Scottish Parliament

Actor Sir Sean Connery will be asked about his views on violence against women when he attends a festival at the Scottish Parliament in August.

The former James Bond star will be interviewed by Presiding Officer George Reid for the Festival of Politics - reports the BBC.

Sir Sean made comments in Playboy magazine in 1975 which appeared to condone violence against women.

Mr Reid said he would ask Sir Sean "difficult questions" about his life, work and political views.

Mr Reid told Holyrood magazine: "I'll ask him about the dynamics of the devolution process and I'll do it as a BBC interview.

"I'm not doing it as ex-SNP or as the presiding officer.

"So he will be asked difficult questions - about did a slap never do a woman any harm, for example.

"So I think it will be fair and balanced in that sense."

Mr Reid is expected to ask Sir Sean, a well-known SNP supporter, about his role in bringing about devolution, about Scottishness and what it means to him.

He is also expected to take questions from the audience.

Mr Reid added: "He has a degree of trust in me, which is why he is doing it, but he also knows that the questioning is not going to be sanitised."

The veteran actor will be in Edinburgh for 10 days over the summer to attend the Edinburgh International Film Festival, of which he is a patron.

During that time, he will take part in the "In Conversation" event, which is expected to be one of the highlights of the Festival of Politics.

Mr Reid said: "I think it's going to be his last major piece to the world."

The presiding officer said the actor's involvement was a mark of the increasing profile of both the event and the Scottish Parliament itself.

Last year's inaugural Festival of Politics attracted nearly 3,000 visitors to 22 events and this year's festival programme has been expanded.

Discuss this news here...