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IDRIS ELBA is back in the running to play James Bond and is in fresh talks to take the lead role.
The popular London-born star had backed down from taking over from Daniel Craig and had instead discussed the prospect of playing a villain in the next film.
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But I can reveal he is now being considered to be the next 007 after ranking highly in market research tests.
A source said: “Idris has long been in talks to play a role in the next era of James Bond’s story and last year was being considered for a role as an antagonist.
“However, talks surrounding him playing the lead have started again as producers realised how popular he would be after carrying out secret market research.
“He ranked highly among the diverse group of movie buffs invited to participate in it.
“They didn’t want to see him as a nemesis — they want him as the hero.”
Daniel quit after his fifth outing as the world-famous spy in last year’s No Time To Die.
In January, producer Barbara Broccoli admitted that Idris had been in consideration to take over the role.
She said at the time: “We know Idris, I’m friends with him. He’s a magnificent actor.
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You know, he has been part of the conversation, but it’s always difficult to have a conversation when you have somebody in the seat.”
Idris said in 2019 of the prospect: “James Bond is a hugely coveted, iconic, beloved character that takes audiences on this massive escapism journey.
“Of course, if someone said to me, ‘Do you want to play James Bond?’, I’d be like, ‘Yeah!’ ”
LUTHER FILM
According to bookies Coral, former Bridgerton hunk Rege-Jean Page is currently the favourite to take on the highly sought-after role, with odds of 5/2.
Behind him is Henry Cavill at 4/1, Aidan Turner at 8/1, Tom Hardy at 6/1 and Idris at 12/1.
The actor, who has had starring roles in The Wire and Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, recently finished shooting the feature-length film of his crime drama Luther in the UK.
His next project is expected to be Apple’s thriller series Hijack, about a plane that is taken over on a flight to London, which he will produce as well as act in.
He is already as busy as James Bond himself.
HAZ’S RUN DOWN
HARRY STYLES kicked off the European leg of his Love On Tour gigs at Glasgow’s Ibrox Stadium with a big grin on his face on Saturday evening, before headlining last night’s event.
But the singer may not be beaming as much by Friday, as it looks like he’ll be knocked off No1 spot in the charts by Kate Bush.
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His single As It Was has held on to the top place for ten weeks, but now Kate’s 1985 hit Running Up That Hill has overtaken him in the midweek chart update.
The song, which originally peaked at No2, went to No2 on Friday after featuring in Netflix’s Stranger Things.
If it does hit No1 on Friday, it will be only her second chart-topper, following her 1978 debut Wuthering Heights.
WILD HORSES WON’T STOP RON
RONNIE WOOD’S artist daughter Leah has revealed that touring keeps her dad focused after he twice faced cancer in five years.
The Rolling Stones legend had a rare and aggressive small-cell cancer spotted during lockdown in 2020 after he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017.
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However, the musician has been given the all-clear and has since embarked on a Stones tour of Europe which kicked off on June 1 at Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano stadium – on Ronnie’s 75th birthday.
Model Leah, Ron’s eldest daughter by ex-wife Jo Wood, has said her dad is showing no sign of winding down any time soon.
Speaking at her One Planet, One Chance exhibition in Mayfair on Thursday, Leah said: “Well, it’s what he loves – so if it keeps him young then he will just carry on doing it.
“It is like if you love drawing or painting or walking.”
Ronnie has been sober for more than a decade and previously blamed his lung cancer diagnosis on smoking “25 to 30 cigarettes a day for 50-odd years” before quitting the habit in 2016.
DUA’S ‘MAID FOR BARBIE
THERE is some-fin fishy about Dua Lipa’s role in the upcoming Barbie movie – she will be playing a sexy mermaid.
I can reveal that the Levitating singer has spent the past week secretly shooting scenes for the big-budget film in London during a break from her world tour.
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But what is even more surprising than her role in the film is her character’s love interest – WWE wrestler John Cena.
I’ve learned he will play a merman opposite her, despite being 19 years her senior.
A source said: “Dua has been in London filming for the Barbie film and has really thrown herself into it.
“She is playing a beautiful mermaid and has been having fun with the role and made it her own.
“There are going to be loads of special effects added afterwards to make her character look as good as possible on screen, so filming it has been a bit weird.
“But it has all gone really well so far and there aren’t too many scenes left to shoot.”
I first told last month how Dua had landed a role in the movie, which is scheduled for release next year.
Aside from her, it has an all-star cast led by Margot Robbie as the title character.
Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Sex Education star Emma Mackey, Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan, and the next Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa, will also appear in the flick.
Audiences are yet to see Dua act outside of her music videos but her first stint on screen will come later this year in spy movie Argylle, featuring Henry Cavill and Bryan Cranston.
As it happens, John Cena is in that movie, too.
Dua has been on the road with her Future Nostalgia tour since February and was back on stage in Barcelona on Friday when she performed at the Primavera Sound festival.
She has more shows later this month before she takes two months off ahead of the South American leg in September.
As one of the busiest women in pop, she will no doubt have plenty more secret projects up her sleeve to keep her busy during the break.
THEY have been going for 50 years but CHIC’s music is still unbeatable in front of a crowd.
After two years of Covid, disco classics including Everybody Dance, I Want Your Love and Good Times proved to be the perfect way to get people back out and singing along.
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Musical genius Nile Rodgers was joined on stage on Saturday by his long-time vocalist Kimberly Davis, who wowed with her incredible voice.
The setlist included versions of Lost In Music, Material Girl and Let’s Dance – all of which Nile helped make.
Now in its fourth year, Cambridge Club Festival encourages the whole family to dance together.
With a headliner as good as this, it is hard to top.
AVA ALONG FOR PRIDE
AVA MAX will jet into the UK next month for her first headline concert here, when she tops the line-up for London Pride.
The Sweet But Psycho singer will perform in Trafalgar Square on July 2 to celebrate 50 years since London’s first ever Pride march in 1972.
Emeli Sande, Samantha Mumba and 2018 Eurovision winner Netta will also sing at the free event on the same day.
In total there will be four stages across central London where a series of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars will perform, too.
Elsewhere around the UK, Christina Aguilera will headline Brighton Pride and Mel C will perform at Manchester Pride in August, while Steps are scheduled to appear at Birmingham Pride in September.
