Dr. Yes... Madden is ‘abandoning Bodyguard for 007’
HE has become adept over the past few months at smoothly sidestepping rumours that he will be the next James Bond when Daniel Craig steps down.
But the clearest indication yet that Scots actor Richard Madden has already signed up for the 007 role has, in fact, come from his producers on the hugely successful TV drama Bodyguard.
A widely-anticipated second series had been expected, with the 32-year-old, from Elderslie, Renfrewshire, once more taking the lead role of troubled Afghanistan war veteran David Budd.
However, shortly after Madden picked up the prize for Best Drama Performance at the National Television Awards last week, the makers of the gripping BBC show revealed the star’s future with them could be in some doubt.
Caught off-guard at the aftershow party, one producer admitted to The Mail on Sunday: ‘We don’t know if Richard will do series two of Bodyguard.’
And totally unprompted, he added: ‘It depends what happens with James Bond – we don’t know yet.’
Fanning the rumour mill further last Wednesday, Lorraine Kelly, who bumped into Madden after the awards ceremony, also revealed on her ITV morning show what could be fast-becoming the worst-kept secret in showbusiness.
Laughing, she first told viewers: ‘I can’t tell you. No, I can’t. It shall remain mine.’
But it didn’t take long for her to crack, and she added: ‘It is going to come back. I think we can safely say Bodyguard is coming back. He’s definitely going to be there.’
However, the popular host then dropped the bombshell: ‘And he’s definitely signed to be James Bond.’
It is understood that Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has been in touch with Madden following his acclaimed performance in Bodyguard – and he even went as far as to do a photo shoot dressed as the suave spy for glossy magazine GQ last year. He then couldn’t restrain his excitement about the opportunity, saying it was a ‘brilliant thing’ to be touted as Craig’s successor.
He said: ‘I love the movies. I’ve read all the books.’ But he added: ‘If you talk about it, you’ll curse it.’
Craig has long expressed a desire to retire from the famously physically-demanding role but has been persuaded by Ms Broccoli to give it one more go. He has agreed to star in the next 007 film, currently titled Bond 25 and due to begin shooting in February 2020.
Shortly before Craig signed the big-money deal, the 50-year-old star said he would rather ‘slash his wrists’ than play the character
‘The worst-kept secret in showbusiness’ ‘If you talk about it, you’ll curse it’
again, adding: ‘If I did another Bond movie, it would only be for the money.’
Madden, who also played Robb Stark in the HBO hit fantasy series Game of Thrones, has been described by Hollywood experts as ‘the perfect choice’ to play Bond.
Like every good spy, however, Madden is – publicly at least – trying hard to keep official secrets.
Complimented by a journalist at the TV awards press conference on how smart his tuxedo was, and how it made him look ‘very 007’, a slightly shaken but not stirred Madden replied: ‘Next for me is going to be Rocket Man, the Elton John film. It’s going to be out in May.’
If successful, the actor will become the second Scottish star to pack a Walther PPK firearm after the iconic Sir Sean Connery.