Sir Michael Caine has confirmed he is retiring from acting at the age of 90 after the release of his latest film The Great Escaper.
The veteran British actor known for his distinctive Cockney accent has starred in over 160 films in his career, which has spanned eight decades.
Explaining why now is the right time for him to step away, Sir Michael revealed it is because you " don't have leading men at 90."
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I keep saying I'm going to retire. Well I am now."
He continued: "I've figured, I've had a picture where I've played the lead and had incredible reviews... What am I going to do that will beat this?"
Sir Michael added: "The only parts I'm liable to get now are 90-year-old men. Or maybe 85. They're not going to be the lead.
"You don't have leading men at 90, you're going to have young handsome boys and girls. So I thought, I might as well leave with all this."
Throughout his career, Sir Michael has won two Oscars, three Golden Globes and a Bafta award among other accolades, and is known as one of Britain's favorite actors.
His career began in 1950 and one of his breakout roles came in 1964 with the film Zulu. He has continued to star in a series of huge movies, including The Italian Job, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight franchise among others.
Sir Michael's final movie The Great Escaper was released on October 6, seeing the star take on the role of the real-life World War II veteran Bernie Jordan, who escaped from his care home to travel to France for D-Day celebrations.
The actor has been using a walking stick for the past five years following a fall on ice and spinal surgery, and took a step back from his usually intense filming schedule in recent years.
He revealed he had initially turned down the role in The Great Escaper three times before finally accepting it as he had considered himself retired already, before coming back for one last movie alongside the late Glenda Jackson, who dies in June after completing filming.
Though he may not be appearing in front of the camera again, that doesn't mean Sir Michael is retiring from working entirely, as he has turned his hand to writing instead, with his novel Deadly Game due for release next month.
He said in June: "It's been my ambition for years to write a thriller. It's the genre I most love to read and I've really got a buzz out of working on Deadly Game and teaming up with Hodder once again to publish it.
"I hope readers enjoy getting to know Harry Taylor as much as I did."
When asked what he credited his longevity to, Sir Michael joked to The Mail on Sunday's You magazine that his youthfulness was down to "younger wives, no snacking and wearing trainers all the time – and you have to be careful not to fall down."
He has been married to his wife Shakira Baksh - who is 14 years his junior - since 1973 and the pair have a daughter called Natasha as well as three grandchildren.
Sir Michael added that his daughter and grandchildren also help him to stay young, adding: "You want to live forever to see what they do with their lives."
