James Bond 26 will be "better, stronger and bolder", says Peaky Blinders creator

Following the announcement, he shared his excitement for the project in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, describing it as having "always been on my bucket list."

"It's fantastic to be invited to do it. I can't wait to get started," he explained, adding: "I'm hoping that, being a Bond fan for so many years, it will be imbued into me and I will be able to produce something that's the same but different, and better, stronger and bolder."

While best known for his TV work, Knight already has some pedigree in the film industry, writing scripts for Locke, Burnt, Allied, The Girl in the Spider's Web, Serenity, Locked Down, Spencer and Maria.

While Bond will no doubt take up a significant portion of Knight's attention, he still has several ongoing projects to work on in the meantime, with the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie and Netflix series House of Guinness on the way.

Knight is the latest big name to join production since Amazon's takeover of the franchise.

But while Villeneuve and Knight have both been confirmed, the most important names, those of the potential actors to play 007 himself, are still being kept under wraps.

Upon being asked about the identity of the next Bond, Knight remained coy, simply replying, "That is a very, very good question, and one I can't give you the answer to."

Speculation is rife as to who could take on the mantle of Bond, with the three frontrunners reportedly Harris Dickinson, Tom Holland and Jacob Elordi.

The likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Austin Butler have also proven popular picks, following recent major roles in 28 Years Later and Dune: Part Two among others.

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