Roger Moore claims James Bond ‘can’t be a gay man or woman’

The former Bond says the spy must remain a white, heterosexual male.

Roger Moore has rubbished claims that James Bond could be homosexual, saying the infamous spy cannot be played by a gay man or a woman.

The actor – who played Bond between 1974 and 1985 – recently received criticism for his comments regarding the possibility of Idris Elba taking on the role.

“I have heard people talk about how there should be a lady Bond or a gay Bond,” he told the Daily Mail.

“But they wouldn’t be Bond for the simple reason that wasn’t what Ian Fleming wrote.”

He went on to claim that his comments were not discriminatory, arguing that he was simply stating fact.

“It is not about being homophobic or, for that matter, racist – it is simply about being true to the character.”

Moore’s comments come after the current Bond said “anything is possible” when asked whether the iconic character can be gay.

Asked by Sky News whether Bond could be black, a woman or gay, Daniel Craig responded by saying that any of the options are a possibility.

He said: “Anything’s possible. You can do anything as long as it’s credible and it works. It doesn’t matter.”

Pierce Brosnan, who played the iconic spy from 1995’s GoldenEye to 2002’s Die Another Day, recently caused a storm when asked that Bond could be portrayed as gay or bisexual.

He initially said: “Sure. Why not?”, before adding: “I don’t think [the producer] would allow a gay Bond to happen.”

However, the director of Daniel Craig’s 2008 Bond film, Quantum of Solace, has also weighed in – echoing Moore’s stance on the issue.

Marc Forster – who helmed the critically-panned instalment in the franchise – told BANG Showbiz that he also believes that the films must remain faithful to the original Ian Fleming novels.

There has been rampant speculation in recent months that actors Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill, Damien Lewis or Luther star Idris Elba could take up the reigns – making him the first black actor to take on the role.

The latest instalment to the franchise, Spectre, hits cinemas tomorrow (October 26).

• Drag
• Jan 03

Start your engines! All 16 seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race US ranked from worst to best