This week our ramble down Memory Lane is a bit of a long walk as I take you to Pinewood Studios, which is located at Iver Heath in Buckinghamshire.

It is certainly a large studio, built around a lovely old mansion with extensive gardens and opened in 1936. Its origin does have a link to Borehamwood. That same year the British & Dominions studio, the site now occupied by Imperial Place in Elstree Way, burnt down and the owners decided to invest in Pinewood rather than rebuild.

I first visit the studio in the 1970s to visit productions such as Space 1999 but rarely go nowadays. However, last Sunday I was invited to attend a special celebration of the late, great Roger Moore. I think of Roger as an Elstree star due to his highly successful 1960s television series The Saint but I guess Pinewood has a greater claim due to his James Bond movies and The Persuaders television series. The occasion was also used to name one of their new sound stages after Roger, which was unveiled by HRH The Countess of Wessex.

The event was excellently organised by an old mate Gareth Owen, who was personal assistant to Roger for many years. We gathered in the bar for a champagne reception and I made the mistake of standing next to Stephen Fry and Derren Nesbitt, who had not met before and regaled each other with stories. My problem with only one working ear is that too much sound in a noisy room means I can't hear even the person talking to me due to an overdose of sounds.

We were then ushered into the old ballroom for the event itself. It was hard to spot all the attendees but sitting around me I saw Sir Tim Rice, Julian Glover, Michael Grade and others.

Dame Joan Collins gave the first speech and was quite funny but I cannot repeat a story she told of working with Tony Curtis on The Persuaders due to the colourful language. Joan simply refuses to age and looks like she will go on forever as a true survivor of showbiz.

Then Sir Michael Caine spoke of his long friendship with Roger Moore, which was moving. I first met Michael on the set of The Fourth Protocol at Elstree decades ago but have since seen him only at memorial services. I must admit he looks a bit frail but so do I as time does not stand still.

There were also speeches by David Walliams on behalf of UNICEF, which Roger served wonderfully for many years and EON producers introduced a visual tribute to the Bond movies. The montage was accompanied by a live band playing two Bond themes.

Another highlight was the playing of part of Vivaldi's Autumn by a violin quintet led by Julian Rachlin, who had flown in especially for the event. Overall it was a splendid tribute that had obviously taken a great deal of effort and I am sure Roger's family, who were in attendance, must have been pleased.

The only drawback was at the end when about 300 people had to leave through one door but everyone was equal. I found myself alongside Michael Caine and we exchanged some comments.

I am not sure whether there is a public memorial service planned for next year at some London venue but I hope there will be as Roger was always appreciative of his fans.

Anyway, that was a long walk this week so until time take care.