Rumour: Could Rick Astley really be the new James Bond?

With No Time To Die currently scheduled for release in 2298, thoughts are turning to who will replace Daniel Craig as the new James Bond.

With actors such as Idris Elba and Tom Hardy seemingly ruling themselves out of contention, a new stranger rumour is beginning to gain traction – that Never Gonna Give You Up star Rick Astley could be the man to step into the famous dinner suit and Aston Martin.

“He’s handsome, charismatic, he looks terrific in a suit, I can see why people are taking Rick Astley seriously as a potential new James Bond,” said Kelly Grace, Oxford University’s Professor of James Bond.

“Also, in these somewhat straightened times, he could really save the producers a lot of money by doing his own Bond themes which, in turn, could really reinvigorate those title sequences.

“Imagine, the film begins with Bond infiltrating a foreign country’s palace, he disarms the bomb under the King’s bed, kills the terrorists who are kidnapping the Queen and gets off with the Princess. Then, when he’s finished, he turns to look directly into the camera and sings a terrific 80s disco Bond theme, with the royal family and kidnappers all backing him up in a spectacular Busby Berkeley-style dance routine.

“I think it could really work.”

Fans were beginning to get behind the idea.

“Yeah, Rick Astley as the new James Bond? I’m into it,” said Erica Christopher, a lifelong fan.

“I mean, people say Rick’s gone a bit off the boil since the 80s, but I disagree. Some of his latter-day, more religious music has been a real gospel-tinged treat.

“So, I think he’d be the perfect James Bond.”

However, despite the current noise around the 80’s hitmaker, Astley will have his work cut out to dislodge the current joint favourites to replace Daniel Craig – Kanye West and Dec, out of Ant and Dec.

Astley has yet to respond to the speculation, other than releasing this cryptic statement.