JAMES BOND will NOT be black when Daniel Craig steps down, says Pierce Brosnan after a racism row ignited around Idris Elba’s suitability for the role.

Pierce Brosnan has waded back into the debate over whether a black actor could ever take over as 007.
“He’ll be male and he’ll be white,” Brosnan declared, as Idris Elba’s hopes of replacing Daniel Craig dwindle.
He also dismissed any calls for a woman to step into the role.

“A female James Bond, no, I think it has to be male. James Bond is a guy, he’s all male. His name is James, his name is James Bond,” Brosnan insisted.

Women, of course, have traditionally been relegated to the position of sexy love interest for the ladykilling spy.

Adding to the ongoing rumblings about sexism, James Bond has been embroiled in a racism row over the popular choice of Idris Elba to replace Daniel Craig in the iconic role.

Anthony Horowitz, author of a new 007 adventure, Trigger Mortis, sparking a huge social media outcry when he said that Elba was “too street” to play the Bond.

Critics interpreted this as a veiled racial slur, a claim Horowitz was quick to deny with an impassioned apology.

“Idris Elba is a terrific actor, but I can think of other black actors who would do it better,” he said.

“For me, Idris Elba is a bit too rough to play the part. It’s not a color issue. I think he is probably a bit too ‘street’ for Bond. Is it a question of being suave? Yeah.”

Elba, has already been beaten to the prize by fellow Brit actor David Oyelowo, who recently became the first black actor to play James Bond.

The Selma star voices the role in the audiobook version of Horowitz’s latest novel.

The news comes as American actress Viola Davis made history this week by becoming the first black actress to win an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama gong at the Primetime Emmy Awards for her role in How To Get Away With Murder.

As for Elba, he has already been replaced by Damien Lewis as the top favourite to take over from Daniel Craig when he steps down as James Bond.

Tom Hardy is another hot favourite to play James Bond, following his powerhouse performance as both Kray twins in the current crime biopic Legend.

Brosnan has also been musing on the idea of a gay James Bond as the latest film in the series, SPECTRE, prepares to hit UK cinemas on October 26.

The Irish star played the secret agent in four 007 films, starting with 1995’s Goldeneye.

Tomorrow Never Dies followed in 1997 with The World Is not Enough in 1999, before he bowed out with 2002’s Die Another Day.