This article cheats slightly.

I have not, alas, been perching on the window-ledge of a Panama prison to spy on the cast and crew’s activity during the filming of the new Bond movie, the Quantum of Solace, in the name of (very respectable) gossip journalism.

I do, however, despite my lack of physical Panama-presence, have an international calling-card which gets me some very juicy insider-knowledge.

Using the wonders of the telephone, and wondering why it is that we have only begun to take an interest in Panama now that it is the location for the filming of a fictional fantasy, I (somewhat guiltily) got my weekly low-down.

It seems that Sunday was Mr (apparently rather craggy) Craig’s 40th birthday. After all the drama the cast and crew had experienced outside of the script, everyone thought it would be a good idea to throw a huge, painstakingly-protected, birthday party for Daniel.

This they did. And everyone had a bigger blast than Q himself could’ve devised (sorry!)…

The complimentary champagne and cocktails seemingly got some of the exhausted crew more shaken than stirred; as they quickly clubbed together to throw Daniel Craig into the hotel swimming pool!

The birthday boy took it on the chin and was very good-natured about it, as one would expect from a British Bond who’s used to getting wet… Although it would have taken all of MI6’s resources to find a good-natured cast or crew member the following day - as Bond and his birthday party-goers bedtime had been at 6am.

Alarms were ringing by 8am and a full day of filming was expected. Mission Impossible if you ask me…

Filed under: Big Smoke Soirees