Piers Morgan attacks Daniel Craig over female James Bond: 'Why would you ruin a franchise?'

The broadcaster claimed women want to "fantasise" over a male 007 
Emma Powell29 April 2019

Piers Morgan attacked Daniel Craig after he suggested his James Bond successor should be a woman, a move the Good Morning Britain star fears will “ruin” the franchise.

Craig will step down as the 007 agent after his fifth and final outing in next year’s Bond 25. Speaking about his replacement, he said gender and race should not be seen as an issue.

“I think that everybody should be considered,” he told the Daily Mirror. “Also for women and for African-Americans, there should be great parts anyway, across the board.”

Morgan took aim at his comments on Monday’s Good Morning Britain, claiming women in particular would not want a female Bond as they like to “fantasise” over the secret service agent.

Controversial: Daniel Craig said race and gender should not play a part in deciding the next Bond
Getty Images

Referencing the time he criticised Craig for carrying his newborn in a papoose, he said: “Daniel Craig, fresh from papoose-gate, has now decided the next James Bond should probably be a woman. Why shouldn’t James Bond be a woman? Well here are two reasons: name is James Bond there’s a clue in the name and James Bond is a man.”

He continued: “James Bond was written as a man. James Bond should remain a man. James Bond is a towering monument of masculinity so why would anyone in the entire world, least of all women who all secretly fantasise about James Bond, now want him to become a woman?”

He also took aim at Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller Bridge’s involvement in the script for Bond 25, claiming she was recruited to make the film more “woke”.

Morgan fears Waller Bridge’s involvement means Bond “won’t be able to hit on women anymore” and that Bond girls will now be “Bond people”. Questioning the move, he asked: “Why would you ruin a franchise?”

Who could be the next 007 James Bond? - In pictures

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Producer Barbara Broccoli last week shut down the idea of a female Bond, telling Good Morning Britain the character would become a “gimmick”.

The cast for the upcoming as-of-yet untitled film was announced last week at a live reveal at Ian Fleming’s home in Jamaica.

Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear and Lea Seydoux will also reprise their roles while David Dencik, Ana de Armas, Billy Magnussen Dali Benssalah and Lashana Lynch will make their 007 debuts.

Good Morning Britain is on ITV, weekdays at 6am

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