Judi Dench put on a brave face over exit from the James Bond franchise

Veteran actress Judi Dench was devastated when she was told Skyfall would be her last James Bond film, but she put on a brave face for her family and friends to keep the plot twist secret.

The 78-year-old actress played spy chief M in six 007 blockbusters before her character was killed off in her seventh film, last year's Skyfall, and Dench says she was completely blindsided when producers told her the bad news, reported Daily Star.

She was informed of M's demise in a meeting with producer Barbara Broccoli and co-star Daniel Craig, but couldn't let anyone know how upset she was as Bond bosses were determined stop the storyline leaking before the film hit cinemas.

"I knew about it for quite a while before (the shoot). I went and saw Barbara Broccoli and Daniel Craig, which I thought was a nice chance meeting to have a cup of coffee, but it was straight in my face," Dench said TV host Graham Norton. "It wasn't broken to me gently. I put a very brave face on it and didn't tell anyone at all. People would ask, 'How's it going?' and I'd say, 'Fine' and then, 'Are you enjoying filming?' and I'd say, 'It's fine,' and, 'Do you get out from behind the desk, and I'd say, 'Yep.' It was quite hard, but it was worth keeping the secret," she added.

Dench also said the cast and crew marked her exit from the franchise by giving her a surprise. "There was a big cake. I don't remember what it said on it."