Movies

Joanna Lumley insists 007 should be male as ‘Lashana Lynch takes over’


Joanna is keen for 007 to remain a man (Picture: Rex)

Joanna Lumley is adamant 007 needs to remain a man after Lashana Lynch was tipped to take over after Daniel Craig retired the number in the previous James Bond escapade Spectre.

Whether it’s on the money or not remains to be seen, however according to reports, Lashana’s role has been kept under wraps with sources close to the production claiming that Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s rewrite of the script will see the actress be introduced to audiences as 007.

Now while many have been excited by the idea, as we eagerly anticipate any news as to who might be taking the lead from Daniel following Bond 25, Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna isn’t so sure about it not being a man.

After starring in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service back in 1969 as brilliantly monikered ‘The English Girl’, she went on to film a documentary about Ian Fleming (Where Bond Began) and she knows just how descriptive the writer was of his titular character – and she’s adamant he always intended Bond to be a man.

‘He took very special pains to describe James Bond, who was a man, and this was written in the early 50s, who was a British man of a certain height and build and a rather cruel face, a lean build,’ she told Metro.co.uk recently.

‘It seems odd to me you’d make that a woman.’

Lashana is starring in the next Bond, but her role going forward remains to be seen (Picture: Universal)

Fair dos, Joanna.

That’s not to say she’s not open to the idea of a female spy taking the mantel – but let’s not pretend it’s as Bond, okay?

‘By all means write another character who works for MI6, write a new one but don’t tag onto this lazy business of pretending it’s James Bond,’ she continued. ‘Make a different one.’

The actress continued: ‘It would have to be 008 or somebody else, and make it a woman if you have to.

‘Remember James Bond is a character written by a real writer. You wouldn’t make Mr Pickwick into a 23-year-old girl…’

Joanna also admitted she was left ‘bitter’ after Ralph Fiennes replaced Judi Dench after her character M was despatched.

She said: ‘When Judi died in Skyfall, M, we went “oh no!” and I’m thinking “yeah! I can be M now!” And the film ended and they said Ralph Fiennes got the job, I was bitter.’

#JusticeForJoanna.

It’s not like the woman isn’t busy elsewhere, as, keen to make a real dent in the consumption of single-use plastic, Joanna teamed up with Brita for its initiative Just Tap. Filtered.

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Starring alongside Gethin Jones, she wants you to know you’re just not that cool if you’re drinking bottled water.

She mused: ‘I’ve been drinking filtered water forever and ever, tastes as good as Scottish spring water, why would you ever pay for it?’

Bond 25 will be in cinemas 8 April, 2020.



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