Dick Van Dyke ‘almost’ played James Bond but turned down the role for one key reason

We know him best for starring in a raft of childhood staples like Mary Poppins and Night at the Museum, but Dick Van Dyke once ‘almost’ played Hollywood’s most famous spy.

The 99-year-old acting legend revealed the unexpected detail during an interview with Today on Tuesday (November 18).

Van Dyke, whose career spans seven decades, was grilled by show host Al Roker about his career, with one of the questions being: "Is it true you could have almost become James Bond?"

Without missing a beat, Van Dyke replied: "I almost did," before revealing exactly how the opportunity had slipped through his fingers.

Initially approached following Sean Connery’s decision to depart from the franchise, Van Dyke recalled: "[Producer] Albert Broccoli came to me and said, ‘Would you like to be Bond?’ And I said, ‘Have you heard my British accent?’ Click!"

Dick Van Dyke revealed why he 'almost' played James Bond (CBS via Getty Images)

Light hearted humor aside (and a reference to his now infamous Cockney accent in Mary Poppins), Van Dyke did reveal he could have taken the role if he had so wished, but felt it may not have suited what fans had come to expect from him.

At the time, many of his films had been family-friendly movies that could be enjoyed by all ages, and it was a fear of alienating these audiences with a more serious and action-driven role that led him to hesitate.

Van Dyke expressed that 'audiences may not have accepted it from me'.

He did, however, admit that if he had stepped into the shoes of the world’s most famous fictional spy, it would 'have been a great experience'.

The star first began his career in the 1940s, but it wasn’t until 1959 that he made his Broadway debut in The Girls Against the Boys and paved the way to a decade of some of his most iconic work.

From 1960 onwards, Van Dyke took on the role of Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie, before helming his very own sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show, for five years between 1961 and 1966.

Even despite his advancing years, Dick Van Dyke isn't ready to slow down (Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

A glistening Hollywood career also followed, with films such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins, and Divorce American Style, among the many titles padding his CV.

By 1970, Van Dyke was a household name, and would spend the next 50 years delighting audiences on both the big and small screen - and even now, just one month away from turning 100, he shows no signs of slowing down.

"I don’t want to," he told Roker. "I mean, it’s my hobby. It’s my life. I love it."