Tom Jones considered for 007 role

Welsh music legend Sir Tom Jones has revealed that he almost earned a Licence To Kill – after James Bond bosses once considered him to play the agent.

Sir Tom said that producer of the series, Cubby Broccoli, toyed with the idea of casting the It’s Not Unusual singer as 007.

But in an interview with Smooth Radio to be broadcast today, the chart veteran says his huge public profile as a singer at the time meant that film chiefs decided against the move.

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The role has been played by such screen legends as Sir Sean Connery, Sir Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan, before Daniel Craig took over for the most recent pair of films, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

He told presenter Lynn Parsons that playing the suave hero would have been his dream screen role.

“When I was young I would have liked to be James Bond, and at one time it was discussed,” he revealed.

“I think it came from Cubby Broccoli, who was the man in charge, of course, and he said when my name was put forward, ‘Tom Jones is so recognisable as Tom Jones – he’s a character, he’s become this singer with a big character’.

“So in order for him to do James Bond, would people accept him as being James Bond? Could they get past him being Tom Jones?’ – and so apparently that was what the problem was,” Sir Tom added.

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