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and the storylines were not aimed at my age group but I meet people who are now 30 years old who absolutely adore them.

“Now, 20 years on, people remember how they felt and love things like Jar Jar Binks, who drove adults crazy but to 10-year-olds will always be a beloved hero.

“The prequels were not for me. Although we were filming in Australia, and it was a treat to be flown to these places, it was a slightly empty experience. I had very little to do and then we moved on.”

The boom of the prequels saw an explosion in Star Wars fandom, which Anthony has become a central part of thanks to touring concert shows, exhibitions and fan conventions. But he initially found it hard to acclimatise to.

He said: “It’s interesting because I didn’t totally get it and I think partly because of the experience of the first movie, where I wasn’t a part of the eventual celebrations.

“I kind of veered away from the whole subject because it was so hurtful. The public acclaim for the movies was there but I never felt a part of that.

“It was 10 years ago, with the concert series I hosted, that I began to understand the warmth and the energy. Without the fans, there would only have been one movie.”

In between making the 11 movies – he plays C-3PO in the nine Skywalker saga episodes plus spin-off Rogue One, and a mine worker in last year’s spin-off Solo – Anthony has been the face and voice of his counterpart in games, animated series, theme park rides, apps and all kind of merchandise.

But after waving goodbye to Threepio twice already, he feels this farewell is for keeps – on the big screen at least.

While Anthony will not reveal any details about new movie The Rise of Skywalker, the trailers hint at a much more central role again, as seen in a moment where he says he is stopping to take “one last look… at my friends.”

While he has had ups and downs with the previous Star Wars movies, he said it’s been a dream to work with new trilogy mastermind JJ Abrams.

He said: “This is why the book is a journey, there were sadnesses along the way but, in the end, it’s magical, and I didn’t know it was going to end like this. I didn’t know JJ would be so wonderful.

“At the end of shooting, everyone was really tired but I had such wonderful kind, fond, loving, memories.

“Saying goodbye three times is quite weird and this time it was a little harder, it was more sentimental. I thought it was the end after Episode Six, I thought it was the end after Episode Three, and now really it is the end.

“Threepio has appeared in so many strange guises that I think he will have a life beyond the actual movies but for him and for me, it’s fine that the Star Wars saga story has come to an end in a really good and satisfying way.”

I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story by Anthony Daniels is published by DK. Also available in audio.