Daniel Craig insists he's ready to pass the James Bond torch

Daniel Craig has insisted he's ready to let someone else take over the role of James Bond after No Time To Die - but that he's 'really really happy' he made one more film as 007.

Speaking to The Mirror, he also elaborated on how physically challenging the part is. 

'It’s time for someone else to have a go! I’ve hurt myself on every single Bond movie,' he told the publication. 'I’m really, really happy I did this movie – that I did one more. 

'It’s been, as they always are, incredibly hard work. But it’s a massive collaboration and one of the most moving things for me about finishing this film is some of the people that I have worked with on five Bond films.

'And for me that’s what it was all about – it was those people and saying goodbye to them.'

No Time To Die was delayed by Craig's latest stunt-related injuries - and then further pushed back amid the pandemic.

Shooting early scenes for the film in Jamaica, Craig's ankle 'exploded' when he slipped running along a wet dock.

He had to have surgery and recover for nearly three months.

Other injuries during his Bond tenure have included losing two teeth filming Casino Royale, needing knee surgery during Spectre, and losing the tip of his finger and dislocating his shoulder on Quantum Of Solace.

While the debate of who will play Bond next rumbles on, producer Barbara Broccoli has said she believes 007 will always be a male character.

The head of Eon Productions, who signs off on every key hiring and firing in the franchise, said she will be discussing who will take over the role from Craig next year - and that it will be a man.

She told the PA news agency: 'James Bond is a male character. I hope that there will be many, many films made with women, for women, by women, about women.

'I don't think we have to take a male character and have a woman portray him. So yes, I see him as male.'

She also admitted she hasn't faced the fact that current Bond Craig - who will not play the part any longer, following the latest film No Time To Die - is stepping down.

'I'm sort of in denial, I would love for Daniel to continue forever,' she went on. 'So I'm not thinking about [his replacement]. That's something Michael [G Wilson, her half-brother and fellow producer] and I will discuss next year.'

Asked if conversations about Craig's successor are imminent, she replied: 'No. We want to celebrate the fantastic tenure of Daniel Craig, who's given everything to this character into this franchise for 15 years and it is really time to celebrate him.'

No Time To Die director Cary Joji Fukunaga, the first American to direct a Bond film, said whoever replaces Craig will have a tough act to follow.

Asked if he would like to see more diversity in the character, he said: 'That's a tough one. I don't actually have a strong opinion either way on that. I think it's going to be hard for anyone to follow in Daniel's footsteps because, for me, as much as I liked Pierce Brosnan, I was in my early 20s, and kind of checking out of the films a bit.

'When Daniel came in, it was such a different version of the character that I hadn't seen before, it made me lean back in as an adult. Whoever plays it just needs to have that charisma, needs to have those layers.

'So, I think the most important thing is that that there's attrition to the character, obviously, in terms of who they are and what they're made up of, but I don't really have an opinion beyond that.' 

Craig, 53, told Radio Times last week that he also believes Bond should remain male.

The actor said: 'There should simply be better parts for women and actors of colour. 

'Why should a woman play James Bond when there should be a part just as good as James Bond, but for a woman?'

He said the addition of Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge to the writing team was to 'spice it up' but she was a Bond fan so 'she wasn't about to take him in a different direction'. 

Multiple actresses have supported Daniel's statement that Bond should be played by a male actor, including Die Another Day star Halle Berry, who said on Entertainment Tonight

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