Sean Connery has filed a counter-suit against his New York neighbour after the townhouse resident sued the 74-year-old Scottish legend for being a "rude, foul-mouthed, fat old man".

Last month ophthalmologist Burton Sultan filed a $30 million lawsuit against the former James Bond star, claiming that renovations the Connerys were carrying out in their home since September 2001 were a source of constant noise, foul fumes, water leaks and rat infestation, reported the Internet Media Database.

In a counter-suit Connery alleges that Sultan "has embarked on a campaign of harassing" the star and his family.

"It's clear that the condominium cannot function if it is run by defendant, Burton Sultan, out of his office... in Old Westbury as a tyrant."

Connery's spokesperson had earlier dismissed the allegations by Sultan who also claimed that Connery and wife Marilyn owed $15,747 in maintenance and utility payments.

The spokesperson argued that the actor spends most of his time in the Bahamas.

"My message wasn't 'Oh wow, don't I look beautiful even though I'm hefty.' That's not what I was trying to accomplish," Alley said. "I was trying to accomplish somebody pathetically realising that they're really fat."

There are no punches pulled in the show, which was unscripted beyond a detailed outline of the plot. The actors improvise, apparently trying to outdo each other in how politically incorrect they can be.

In one scene Alley has a meeting with the head of NBC Universal Television, Jeff Zucker, who plays himself, to discuss a new sitcom. Zucker is visibly shocked at her size and, when she leaves the room, calls her agent to complain about it.

"I don't think it's an attack on Hollywood," she said.

"It's a comment on how if any woman walks into any interview overweight they would be all nicey nice and when she left they would go, 'Oh my God, she's so fat.' It's not exclusive to Hollywood," she said.