FORMER DUP leader Arlene Foster has said a shirt featuring the word 'never' worn while presenting her show on GB News was a "homage to James Bond" and not a reference to an infamous speech by Ian Paisley.
Mrs Foster wore the shirt, featuring a tartan pattern with the word 'never' used several times in the design, during her Sunday with Arlene Foster show.
She interviewed her current DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson during the broadcast, which discussed the potential for restoring power sharing ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Some social media users highlighted the repeated 'never' slogan and questioned if it was a reference to the 1985 speech in Belfast by the late DUP leader Ian Paisley following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, in which he famously stated "never, never, never" over the possibility of Dublin having an increased role in the governance of the north.
In a tweet replying to the claims, Ms Foster, who was appointed to the House of Lords last year, said her clothing choice was actually a reference to the 1983 James Bond Movie Never Say Never Again, starring Sean Connery returning to the role of the fictional MI5 spy.
"It’s actually Never say Never again and is a homage to James Bond but it seems to be triggering all the usual suspects!" she wrote.
Hi Alan it’s actually Never say Never again and is a homage to James Bond but it seems to be triggering all the usual suspects! https://t.co/uSoOn2VSPR
— Arlene Foster DBE PC #ProudofNI. (@ArleneFosterUK) January 22, 2023
