James Bond to get 'outspoken' gay friend

James Bond is to get an “outspoken gay friend” as part of an attempt to bring the chauvinistic spy into the modern era.

For the latest Bond novel, author Anthony Horowitz – who has taken over the helm of the late Ian Fleming’s iconic spy series – says he has introduced a series of ‘nudges’ to help modernise the MI6 spy while remaining true to the 1950s setting and source material.

Set in the late 1950s at the height of the American-Soviet space race, Trigger Mortis – released on Monday (September 7) – reunites Bond with Goldfinger’s Pussy Galore and pairs him with a gay friend who challenges his ‘medieval’ view of the world.

Speaking to RTE, Horowtiz explained: “One of the challenges of writing the book was that attitude that a heterosexual man can change a woman’s life and make her go weak at the knees.

“That’s something that would be challenged, I think, in the 21st century.

“So it’s how do you square that circle? How do you remain true to the original creation and concept and yet at the same time not offend people in the 21st century?”

He continued: “If you read Trigger Mortis, you’ll see actually there is a little twist to the tale in that particular story which I think sort of pays him off for his slightly patronising attitude.”

Explaining how he will make the literary Bond a more relatable figure for a 21st century audience, he added: “I think the answer is that in the book I remain true to every one of Bond’s things.

“He does smoke cigarettes, he smokes many many cigarettes. But then what I do is I nudge him with a little reference to a newspaper article he happens to glance at which just reminds him that these things will give him cancer.

“With women, he has this sort of patronising carnal attitude with them which is absolutely accurate to the Bond of the books. But then by creating very strong women he is given quite a run for his money and his attitudes are challenged.

“I also gave him a very outspoken gay friend, who chides him and says ‘come on Bond, you’re living in the 20th century now not the Middle Ages.’”

The news that 007 is getting his own gay sidekick comes after former Bond star Pierce Brosnan said that while a gay James Bond would make for “interesting viewing” in the movies, the series’ long-serving producer Barbara Brocolli would never allow it to happen.

However, tt was finally revealed yesterday that the latest Bond film, Spectre, will have some gay representation in the form of Sam Smith, who has recorded the theme tune, Writing’s On the Wall – find out all the details here.

James Bond to get ‘outspoken’ gay friend

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