Brian Cox signed up for ‘007’ series because he thought it was a James Bond movie
The British actor Brian Cox has revealed that he initially signed up for a new James Bond-related series because he mistook it for the next 007 movie.
The actor, known for his work on the series Succession and movies including Troy and Braveheart, is set to appear as the game master in a new reality television programme titled 007: Road to a Million.
The new programme, issued by Amazon’s Prime Video, challenges contestants to complete challenges based on classic James Bond predicaments in locations including the Scottish Highlands, Venice, and Jamaica. As the title suggests, the contestants can clinch a $1million payout if they successfully reach the end of the challenges.
According to Cox, he signed a contract to host the show, assuming it was a role in the eagerly awaited follow-up to No Time To Die.
Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the actor explained: “I thought it was the new James Bond film. So I said, ‘Oh, finally, they’re getting me in a James Bond movie.’ I thought, ‘Yes, of course!’
Sadly, shortly after signing, he realised what he’d got himself in for. “There was no script, and there was no James Bond movie,” he lamented. “For years, I thought, you know, I would love to be in James Bond. It would be really interesting. And I thought this was my moment, but it wasn’t.”
Despite his error, Cox said he had “fun” taking on the reality show role. It was something different for him, and as The Controller, he could revel “in the increasingly difficult journeys and questions the contestants must overcome.”
“I got to see how ordinary people would cope with being on a James Bond adventure,” Cox said of the programme earlier this year. “As they travel the world to some of the most iconic Bond locations, it gets more intense and nail-biting. I enjoyed my role as both villain and tormentor, with license to put the hopeful participants through the mangle.”
“It’s a great show, actually, and the team who made it were wonderful. I just came in and sat at a desk and did all this stuff post, really,” he continued during an appearance on The One Show.
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