Real-life James Bond Q is female: MI6 chief

LONDON: In all James Bond films, Q is a man who designs hi-fi gadgets for use by the fictional spy but in the real world a similar tech genius is actually female, the MI6 chief has said.

Sir Alex Younger, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service known as MI6, made the revelation in an attempt to encourage more females to join the secret service.

Speaking at the Women in IT awards on Wednesday, Alex said: “The real-life Q is looking forward to meeting you and I’m pleased to report that the reallife Q is a woman.”

Actors who have played the role of Q in the Bond series based on Ian Fleming’s writings include Ben Whishaw, John Cleese and before that World War II veteran Desmond Llewelyn, who made the part his own for 17 films.

Alex, traditionally known as C, said portrayals of MI6 spies needed to be overcome because reality was very different.

“It leads to a stereotype which is of a particular kind or a particular sort of person that will join MI6 whether they’re really posh or going to Oxford or whatever it is. I’m none of those things, by the way,” he said.

The MI6 chief said he wanted to make the service even more diverse which would bring a full range of skills to the service and improve its decision-making.

He added: “The more different people you have in the room, in these high-pressure circumstances in which we operate, the better the decisions.

“So, success for me is a deeper, broader range of technological skills in MI6 and more diversity, in particular more women.” HOUSTON: US former president George H W Bush is recovering well from pneumonia and may be discharged from the hospital as soon as this weekend, a spokesman for the 41st President said.

“President Bush continues to improve as he recovers from pneumonia,” spokesman Jim Mcgrath said in a statement.

“Despite a lingering cough, his lungs are clearing up and he is working with physical therapists to build strength. At his current rate of recovery, president Bush’s physicians believe he could possibly go home over the weekend,” he added. Bush, 92, sought care at the intensive care unit of Houston Methodist Hospital on January 14 for “an acute respiratory problem stemming from pneumonia.

Doctors performed a procedure to protect his airway that required sedation,” Mcgrath said