From Romford With Love

Bond Girl Susie Vanner talks to Holly Louise Eells about her Romford roots and a chance meeting that rejuvenated her singing career after five decades

- Holly Louise Eells

Whether you are a Bond fan or frequently hit the Northern Soul dance floor during the 1960s, the name Susie Vanner will most likely ring a bell. The actress is famous for sharing a sexy and iconic cinematic moment with Sir Roger Moore when he was playing James Bond and she was in the role of a beautiful Russian agent (known affectionately as Log Cabin Girl) in the 1977 movie The Spy Who Loved Me.

‘It’s pretty mad to be honest,’ explains Susie, who still finds her success hard to believe. It’s definitely a world away from being a young girl growing up in Rise Park, an area of Romford. My mum was a single parent from a working class background who raised my brother and I singlehandedly because my dad left when I was a baby.’

Going to school at Rise Park primary school and Romford Technological High School, Susie looks back with fondness on this happy time of her life.

‘I lived on a bike and used to cycle everywhere; it was just a beautiful time. I definitely didn’t expect all of this to happen to me. I do believe in fate and I did feel different to all of my friends that were at school because they wanted to get married and have children, that was their dream. It was never my dream though. Back in those days it was very hard work. I was taught to work hard from an early age and never take things for granted. I was determined to be independent and make my own money so I could buy my mum a bungalow by the sea in Thorpe Bay, and move her out of Romford. She was so happy there.’