JAMES BOND favourite Sam Heughan just spoke about replacing Daniel Craig as 007 after No Time To Die. Is it second time lucky for The Outlander star, who is promoting his new movie  SAS Red Notice? He previously auditioned for  Casino Royale before Craig bagged the role. 

Criminal terrorists have hijacked the Eurostar train in a tunnel underneath the Channel. An elite British special agent must save the day. So far, so Bond. Heughan has swapped the whimsy of kilts and time-traveling romance for a hardbitten action thriller that serves as a perfect audition for heading off on Her Majesty’s Secret Service. And he is ready to speak openly about the idea of taking over after Craig steps aside at the end of Bond 25.

He said: “I met Barbara Broccoli and Martin Campbell. I did a scene and they had the gun from  The Man with the Golden Gun on the table and I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is incredible.’ It was surreal. He’s a character we’ve all grown up with.”

And now, in a bold new interview, the actor has spoken directly about his hopes to take the role on his second attempt and delved into his fascination with the character.

This has made him a firm favourite with UK bookies. Ladbrokes told the Express: “Sam Heughan is no stranger to the head of the Bond betting and his latest comments have seen us slash odds on him replacing Daniel Craig.”

James Bond hopeful Outlander’s Sam Heughan (Image: GETTY)

James Bond Daniel Craig (Image: FS )

In new interview this week with Esquire, the star said: “Somebody asked me earlier, ‘Is James Bond a psychopath?’

“There are a lot of high functioning, ‘good’ psychopaths, as we call them, in the military, but also lawyers, doctors, surgeons – people that have to be in these high-stress situations that need to be logical, and not allow their emotions to take them over.

“It might be a learned behaviour, or it might be something they’ve been born with, but in a stressful situation they can turn down their empathy, they can turn up their logical thinking, or whatever it is.”

Heughan added: “If they need to be charming, like maybe James Bond, you know, he could be more charming.

“It’s very much about them being able to just manipulate their emotions and turn them on and turn them off.”

But what about actually being the next Bond?

James Bond hopeful Outlander’s Sam Heughan (Image: GETTY)

Heughan said: “I think any actor would never say they’re not interested. Of course, you’d be interested…. he’s (Bond) a great character, and would certainly be a fascinating character study and place to kick off.”

But has Heughan spoken to the Bond producers? They clearly know and like him since he was called in before, many years before. And his stature has since risen considerably thanks to Outlander.

So, has he had another audition this time around?

James Bond actors (Image: FS )

Heughan –  like the other front-runners including James Norton, Idris Elba and new favourite, Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page – is remaining a little coy.

He said: “I mean, it is all rumours, and sometimes you think, should I, should we even talk about it? Because you don’t want to jinx it.

“I’m sure the people, whoever runs [Bond] – you know, Barbara Broccoli and Eon and all that – they must be sick of it; people sort of throwing their hat into the ring.”

 Even so, overnight one leading bookie has halved the odds on Heughan being the next Bond with just two stars ahead of him.

James Bond favourites Tom Hardy and Rege-Jean Page (Image: GETTY)

Betway told The Express: “Scottish actor Sam Heughan has dropped a not-too-subtle hint that he’s gunning for the 007 role, while promoting his new film SAS: Red Notice. Following the comments, the Outlander stars odds to be Daniel Craig’s replacement have been dramatically cut.”

Betway has Heughan on 3/1 from 7/1, with Tom Hardy out in front on 2/1 just ahead of James Norton on 5/2. Henry Cavill is also on 3/1, with Brigerton’s Rege-Jean Page on 5/1 and Idris Elba on 7/1.

Meanwhile, Ladbrokes is staying a little more cautious reducing Huegahn’s odds from 6/1 to 5/1, tied with Page. Tom Hardy and James Norton are also in the lead again on 2/1, while Ladbrokes have Idris Elba at 6/1.

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Heughan plays another emotionally detached action hero, Tom Buckingham, in  SAS Red Notice, which is based on the Andy McNabb novel of the same name.

The character has echoes of Bond in  Skyfall, with dead parents and an ancestral home. He is also exactly the man you would want to send in when everything has gone to hell.

Heughan is also a strapping 6’3, so don’t just send him into the Channel Tunnel, get him strapped into that tuxedo and give the man a martini already.