PIERCE BROSNAN FOUND OUT HE WAS NO LONGER JAMES BOND FROM REPLACEMENT DANIEL CRAIG

Pierce Brosnan discovered he had been dropped as James Bond by his replacement Daniel Craig. Craig, who has his first outing as the super spy in 'Casino Royale' next month, unknowingly broke the news to Brosnan at an awards ceremony.Believing the 'Die Another Day' star already knew he had been axed, Craig told Brosnan he had been offered the role and asked for advice.The 38-year-old star said: "I didn't know how much he knew about all this.But I knew if I wasn't up front with him, if I met him again, I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye."The incident occurred in February last year, when Craig found himself sitting on the same table as Brosnan at the BAFTA awards, in London.Craig told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper: "I said, 'Look this is a possibility, what do you think?' I don't know if I gave him much choice, but he said, 'Go for it. It's a ride.' He didn't hit me."I don't know if anyone was underhand with Pierce but I know I wasn't."Brosnan, 53, was later officially dropped by studio bosses and a short time afterwards Craig was confirmed as the new 007.Craig initially turned down the role because he felt it could become a"poisoned chalice" if he wasn't successful.Producer Barbara Broccoli refused to give up and showed Craig a rewritten script. After reading it, Craig immediately signed a three film contract.