Fans were left furious as ‘appalling’ James Bond icon Sean Connery bragged about hitting women in a shock resurfaced clip.

The iconic actor, who died aged 90 in 2020, left host Barbara Walters gobsmacked during a 1987 interview, when he doubled down on his 1965 comments that it was ‘right’ to slap a woman if you ‘tried everything else’ to resolve an argument.

In the video, which has been viewed more than 2million times, Walters asks Connery whether he remembers telling Playboy that an ‘openhanded slap’ of a woman is ‘justified’ if ‘all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning.’

He also told the publication: ‘If a woman is a b***, or hysterical, or bloody-minded continually, then I’d do it.’

A baffled Walters asks: ‘You think it’s good to slap a woman?’ with a relaxed Connery saying: ‘I don’t think it’s good. I don’t think it’s bad, But it depends entirely on the circumstances and if it merits it.’

‘Well, if you have tried everything else – and women are pretty good at this, they can’t leave it alone. They want to have the last word, and you give them the last word, but they’re not happy with the last word. They want to say it again, and get into a really provocative situation. Then – I think it’s absolutely right.’

Fans were left furious as ‘appalling’ James Bond icon Sean Connery bragged about hitting women in a shock resurfaced clip – he was interviewed by Barbara Walters in 1987

Connery, whose movie career spans five decades, is best known for being the first to portray the role of British fictional spy 007 who he played between 1962–1971 

When Walters responded: ‘What if she gives you a good slap back? ‘ a grinning Connery said: ‘Then you get into another area, maybe she’s getting to like it, then it becomes something else…

‘Seriously, it’s the last resort. He’s not gonna do it because he wants to do it…’

An unimpressed Walters said: ‘Wait until people see this interview. You’re gonna get mail’ with a laughing Connery quipping: ‘Might get some fe-male.’

Fans took to social media to lambast Connery’s comments, with one writing: ‘Nope. Men are so much more powerful. I will never support violence against women. Find another way to make that point.

Others wrote:  ‘A real man doesn’t strike a woman. Ever.

‘Nahh. I’m all about a masculine man, but no slapping please. 

‘A good man knows he has the option to walk away. A woman shouldn’t hit, but she does, a real man walks away. He doesn’t strike back. Violence is like cheating, it usually happens more than once. Walk away. 

‘This is not masculine. The context which he provides for the acceptability of slapping is stereotyping a gender and abusive. If he threw out the context of her throwing a punch first, then he is talking about defending himself, that is a different story.

A baffled Walters asks: ‘You think it’s good to slap a woman?’ with a relaxed Connery saying: ‘I don’t think it’s good. I don’t think it’s bad, But it depends entirely on the circumstances and if it merits it’ 

The star told Walters he thought slapping women was ‘absolutely right’ in a ‘provocative situation’

Fans took to social media to lambast Connery’s comments, with one writing: ‘Nope. Men are so much more powerful. I will never support violence against women. Find another way to make that point’

At the time of the interview Connery was wed to Micheline Roquebrune (pictured 2010)

‘He’s in the wrong. The moment you lay a hand on a woman she has every right to physically defend herself from you.

‘This is absolutely NOT an example of real masculinity. This is a Sєxist/narcissist who gives himself an out for acting violently towards a partner he constantly diminishes to reinforce his dominance. A real man would never need to “put a woman in her place.”’ 

Read More ‘A gorgeous, model of a man – I was there as he slipped away without a fuss’: Sean Connery’s widow Micheline reveals the final moments of the Bond star whose wit and charm defined an era as he dies aged 90

Connery later tripled down on his comments as he lashed out at Walters in a 1993 interview with Vanity Fair, saying: ‘They taped two hours of me and only showed 20 minutes. Barbara Walters was trying to get me to say it was OK to hit women. 

‘But I was really saying that to slap a woman was not the crudest thing you can do to her. I said that in my book – it’s much more cruel to psychologically damage somebody.

‘That’s what they’re looking for, the ultimate confrontation – they want a smack.’

Connery was suffering from ‘respiratory failure’ when he died in his sleep at the age of 90.

Connery’s respiratory failure was brought about by Pneumonia, old age and atrial fibrillation – a heart condition causing an irregular and fast heart rate.

The James Bond legend left behind his wife Micheline, Jason and his other son Stefan. 

Connery is pictured in the James Bond franchise in the 1960s left and right in 2017

At the time of his death, Jason told the BBC: ‘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, whose movie career spans five decades, is best known for being the first to portray the role of British fictional spy 007 who he played between 1962–1971.