Michael Caine, 88, squashes speculation, says he hasn't retired

The talk about his retirement started after he was reported as saying that Lina Roessler's comedy-drama film 'Best Sellers' had "turned out to be my last part, really". His representatives, though, confirmed to 'Variety, that Caine is not retiring. Sources close to the actor said that he is at present reviewing two scripts for upcoming projects.

"Regarding retirement, I've spent over 50 years getting up at 6 a.m. to make movies, and I'm not getting rid of my alarm clock!" Caine said in a statement to 'Variety'.

Speaking to the BBC Radio programme 'Kermode and Mayo's Film Reviews', Caine said he hadn't worked for two years and was suffering from a "a spine problem which affects my leg, so I can't walk very well."

Caine continued: "And I also wrote a book, a couple of books, which were published and successful. So, I'm now not an actor; I'm a writer. Which is lovely because as an actor, you have to get up at half past six in the morning and go to the studio. As a writer, you can start writing without leaving the bed!"