Richard Osman has revealed he has heard that Scottish actor Jack Lowden is being "strongly considered" for the role of the next James Bond, adding a major Scottish name to the ongoing speculation over who will replace Daniel Craig as 007.
The race to succeed Craig, who bowed out in No Time To Die in 2021, has been the subject of intense speculation. Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast alongside Marina Hyde, the former Pointless host teased that he had been given inside information. "Someone told me for definite who the new Bond is the other day, but I mean that’s happened before," he said.
Osman's Claim
Osman later revealed the name he had heard was Slow Horses star Jack Lowden. Speaking to Hyde, he said: "The name I’ve heard is Jack Lowden. It is definitively not a ‘he’s definitely got it’ thing. He is definitely being strongly considered. I think he'd be amazing."
Hyde agreed that the 36-year-old Scottish actor is at a "good age" to step into the role. Osman went on to praise Lowden, adding: "I think Jack Lowden would be an incredible Bond. He’s got real Daniel Craig energy."
Lowden's Rising Career
In recent years, Lowden has become one of Scotland’s biggest rising stars, with his performance as River Cartwright in Apple TV’s hit spy thriller Slow Horses earning widespread praise. He has also starred in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, Mary Queen of Scots, and the BBC’s adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall.
Additionally, Lowden is set to take on one of the most romantic roles later this year, playing Mr Darcy in Netflix's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Although it isn’t the first time he has been linked with the role of James Bond, with previous speculation claiming he was in the front running to become the next 007 agent, his wife, Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, has also backed him for the part.
Ronan's Support
While appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actress said her husband "should be Bond" and hinted that she would love to be a Bond villain. Saoirse said: "He should be Bond. If it’s a choice between the two. Isn’t it nice that I’ve done that? I don’t know, but I’m conscious of being blonde because I feel like a lot of villains in movies, they’re always like, make them super blonde and evil looking. I’d want to break the trend."
The latest comments come as speculation continues over who will eventually inherit the 007 licence to kill, with many believing actors such as Jacob Elordi, Callum Turner, Tom Hardy, and Henry Cavill could take on the role.
Amazon MGM Studios previously confirmed in June that the search for the next Bond is underway, but the studio has stressed it will not comment on individual names while casting continues. The statement read: "While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right."
