OVER the years a host of celebrities have chosen to voice their opinions on Scotland’s constitutional debate.

However, Ewan McGregor has revealed he once received a furious phone call from Sir Sean Connery after he criticised the James Bond legend for lecturing Scots on independence.

The Trainspotting actor had hit out at his fellow Scot for trying to drum up support for the SNP’s cause while living as a tax exile in the Bahamas.

McGregor made the comments while promoting a film in France in 1998. The next day Sir Sean called him to complain as he was attending a charity event for a children’s hospice in Edinburgh.

McGregor admits he had been drinking too much at the time and told how the experience had put him off getting involved in the independence debate.

He said: ‘The whole independence thing is not even worth getting into – it’s complicated.

‘I was in Cannes once and I used to drink back then. I was doing a press conference and I made some terrible remark involving Sean Connery and “tax dodge”.

‘The next day I was opening a butterfly farm for a children’s hospice association and on one front page there was a picture of me and Connery and a question: “Who do you agree with?”.

‘Suddenly, I was this non-independence guy, but I just had too many beers.

‘Then I see my mum, with phone in her hand, saying “It’s Sean Connery”. I hoped it was one of my friends. He was not happy.’

McGregor was speaking at the Gothenburg film festival in Sweden where he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award.

His original comments were made after he met Sir Sean at a party in the Buddha Bar in Paris after Scotland played Brazil at the 1998 World Cup.

Witnesses said the Oscar-winner, who died aged 90 in 2020, was vocal in his support for independence at the bash attended by guests including former First Minister Alex Salmond.

Hollywood star McGregor, recently returned to Scotland after splashing out more than £2million on a mansion near his home town of Crieff.

After purchasing the 18th century country retreat in Perthshire he has been spotted regularly in the area and it is understood he will now split his time between Scotland and Los Angeles.

The 52-year-old said: ‘Being Scottish is deeply who I am, but it means different things for different people. Leaving Scotland was hard, but I aimed for London. I knew that’s where I would start and I was right. I am Scottish wherever I am.’