
Speculation has been rampant about the next James Bond actor ever since Daniel Craig's departure from the long-running franchise. Even singer Robbie Williams once found a place on the list of actors rumoured to play Bond. Williams' song 'Millennium' from 1998 parodies 007 with references to James Bond films such as From Russia with Love and Thunderball. "I appreciate the interest but I'm officially removing myself from the running to be the next Bond. Thank you for your understanding," wrote Williams in an X post the other day. Williams is clearly referring to the speculation that came out of his 1998 song and hinting that he no longer wants any part of it.
Way back in 2003, he dismissed the speculation that surfaced after then then Bond franchise casting head Debbie McWilliams and producer Barbara Broccoli attended one of his performances at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. "The makers of the franchise did not want me to play Bond," he quipped at a presser in Japan back in the day before adding, "I did the 'Millennium' video as a pastiche of James Bond and I left it there." The singer also shared that he preferred a "sexist" version of Bond, which he said could not be the case any longer due to the audience's emphasis on political correctness.