IN her 86 years, star of the stage and camera Honor Blackman has been there and done that – apart from, until now, visit the lovely Regency town of Sidmouth.
"I'm sure you're all very nice people down there," she tells me after I pick up the phone, hear her distinctive and charming voice and ask her how Sidmouth made it onto her nine-date tour. "I've been to lots of places I've never been before, it has a theatre and I've heard it's very nice," she adds. "My shows are always a one-night-stand affair and I'm sure Sidmouth would be a lovely place to have a one night stand!"
Everyone has heard of Honor Blackman, and everyone knows her elegance and glamour has withstood the test of time. But what you know her best for will perhaps depend on your age.
For many, Honor will always be remembered for her role as Pussy Galore in Goldfinger, the third James Bond film made in 1964 starring opposite Sir Sean Connery as MI6 agent Bond.
But it would be wrong to think this was her defining role, or the role that made her – the blond bombshell was already a global household name by then.
Her role as crime-fighter Cathy Gale in 1960s sci-fi television series The Avengers was showcased across the world in 90 countries, six series or 161 episodes spanning nine years.
Little did the actress know then that she was starring in what was to become an epic movie series which would span more than five decades.
"Of course I didn't know how significant the Bond film was then," she says. "But, to show off a bit, I was the hottest thing in England at the time! After The Avengers it seemed like the perfect side step.
"I'd seen From Russia With Love, but I hadn't seen Dr No, the first Bond film. I still haven't seen it, but it was a very beautiful film and it was company I was happy to keep."
Honor continued to star in films (A Night to Remember, The Square Peg, Colour Me Kubrick, Bridget Jones's Diary), on television (The Pursuers, The Saint, Armchair Theatre, Colombo, Dr Who, The Upper Hand, Midsonmer Murders), and on stage (The Sound of Music, Nunsense, My Fair Lady, Cabaret and her own one-woman shows).
She says she can't be defined by just one of these genres.
"I hope they all define me," she continues. "My favourite is theatre, that's the reason I do these one woman shows, because I love theatre.
"With theatre, you can connect with people directly, you know them and feel their reactions.
"Cameras are all very well and can do things which theatre can't, like get into your eyes. But theatre is the best."
But despite being an octogenarian, the mother of two's pace has barely slowed. Though she does think it's about time it did – maybe.
Just five years ago, she took over the role of Fraulein Schneider in stage production of Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End. For her six-month stint, she did eight performances a week.
"I had to do very fast ballroom dancing in a bit of it and eight performances a week and I thought, this is the last time I'll do this," she remembers.
"I don't want to go on tour again, or do eight performances a week.
"Although if I was offered a four- to six-week tour, I may do it – I do love it."
She says she lasted this long in the game because of her pure passion for the art.
"I hope I'm good at them all, and I enjoy it," she says.
"I think it's because I'm interested in it. And having the energy, thank God, to do it. And because I enjoy it – I think this gets conveyed to people."
She said she was happy with her portrayal as Cathy Gale, but she is most proud of her role in Stephen Sondheim's musical A Little Night Music which went on national tour.
"It was the perfect age and the perfect experience," she recalls.
"We did a fantastic tour, we broke all box office records. Absolutely everything about it was wonderful."
For her fifth one-woman show, Honor Blackman As Herself, Honor will indulge in an on-stage conversation with director Richard Digby Day and reveal details about her illustrious career which spans six decades, from her early life, her family, and her rise to stardom – with her usual sense of humour and perspective.
"It's revealing," she says. "It's about things no one knows.
"People may have read about me and think they know everything, but this will be about my family and how I got into the business, all sorts of things.
"Every time I've said I'm doing a new show people have asked if it's been about me and it never has been, so I thought, if people are asking, maybe they're interested. It's rather touching.
"For Richard's 10 words, I say about 500," she laughs.
"And if I wander off, he keeps me on track.
"It'll be the last one-woman show I do, I'm perfectly sure of that."
The show, Honor Blackman As Herself, is at 7.30pm.
Tickets are £14 available from the theatre box office on 01395 514413.