Phoebe Waller-Bridge Is Right, We Don’t Need A Woman Playing Bond – We Need ‘Someone To Rival Him’

After what feels like a lifetime of setbacks, last night the premiere to No Time To Die, Daniel Craig's last Bond outing, finally happened. The A-list gathered at London's Royal Albert Hall for the event, with Kate Middleton stealing the show in a resplendent Jenny Packham sequin dress. The film is out in cinemas tomorrow, but for the past few months, everyone has been wondering one question: just who is going to play Bond next?

According to bookies Betfair this morning, the current favourite is Peaky Blinder's Tom Hardy (13/8), followed by Bridgerton's Rege-Jean Page (2/1) and Nine Perfect Strangers' Luke Evans (11/4). Also on the list to replace Bond is Lashana Lynch - who plays agent Nomi in No Time To Die - at 6/1. (Lashana is also the franchise's first Black 007.)

The topic of whether Bond should be played by a woman is a contentious one. After fifty years, isn't it time for a woman to take on the role? There's been a female Doctor Who by now! But it's a question that most in the Bond universe agree with: he shouldn't be played by a woman. Daniel Craig has said it. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who worked on the script for No Time To Die, has said. And so has Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.

Personally, we think Lashana, or Phoebe herself, would be impeccable as Bond. They'd look sensational in suits, and would surely deliver some scathing comebacks to the bad guys. But that's not the point. It's not because we're not feminist, or we don't think women are capable of having one of the biggest jobs in Hollywood, it's we just don't think we should still feel like there needs to be female Bond: it's down to the film industry to create new stories - and let women take the centre stage.

And that's what Barbara - who has the say on each major hiring in the series - thinks. 'He can be of any colour, but he is male,' the producer said in an interview with Variety. 'I believe we should be creating new characters for women — strong female characters.' It's the same sort of thing Phoebe said at last night's event: 'We just need to cook up someone to rival him.'

Yep, you guessed it, Daniel Craig echoed the same sentiments when he said in an interview withRadio Times: 'There should simply be better parts for women and actors of colour,' he said. 'Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, for a woman?'

It would be cool for young girls to see a female Bond on screen - but surely a whole new franchise would be far more exciting than letting a woman take a male role which has been on our screens since the 1960s? As Barbara says: 'I’m not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it. I think women are far more interesting than that.' It's time to shake, not stir, things up.

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