Daisy May Cooper addresses rumours she'll star as M in the next James Bond

Daisy May Cooper has addressed rumours linking her to the role of the next 'M' in the James Bond franchise.

Right now, 007 is in a bit of a transitional phase, largely because we don't yet know who the next Bond will be following the departure of Daniel Craig after a 15-year run in the role of the iconic spy.

Last year, the James Bond producers said that whomever they cast as the new 007, they'd be looking at a 'reinvention' of the franchise with their next movie.

Whether that means that other regular cast members in the franchise will also be moved on to make way for new actors is unknown. However, Q actor Ben Whishaw, said last year he had 'a suspicion' that he wouldn't be asked back for the next movie.

Other regular members of Bond's supporting cast who may or may not be returning include Rory Kinnear's Bill Tanner, Naomie Harris's, Eve Moneypenny and Ralph Fiennes as M.

dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo

With those roles up in the air, The Sun recently reported that This Country star Daisy May Cooper was going to be cast as the head of MI6, as she was a close friend of Fleabag creator and No Time To Die script consultant, Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

They said she would bring a 'comedic and quirky edge' to the role, as part of their aims to reinvent the franchise with their next 007 movie.

However, the actor herself has poured cold water on those claims in a speech given on her behalf, as she picked up an accolade at the Royal Television Society Awards on 28 March.

Unable to attend the ceremony in person, Cooper joked that she 'can't be there because I'm filming Bond' before following that up with 'jokes, the only M I'll ever be is mental'.

That would appear to kill this rumour stone dead, unless of course it's some sort of double-bluff on her part, which will be revealed once a cast announcement is made.

LANDMARK MEDIA / Alamy Stock Photo

Bond franchise producers said in February that their casting process for Daniel Craig's replacement hadn't started yet, but that's not stopped the rumour mill from churning out plenty of names.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been heavily linked with being the next 007, but he has confirmed nothing and said he had to 'stay grounded' while rumours about big opportunities flew around.

Idris Elba, always a popular name in the conversation about the next Bond, seems to have ruled himself out of the running, and with producers reportedly looking for 'a 30-something', that might be it for his chances to become 007.

Someone with plenty of experience playing a stylish spy is Taron Egerton. Egerton starred in the Kingsman movies, but he reckons he probably wouldn't be the right guy for the job, and had concerns about how many years of his life he'd have to dedicate to playing 007.

Another fan favourite for the role is Henry Cavill, who looks damn good in a suit and has experience playing spies in action movies. However, Cavill is due to turn 40 next month and may not be exactly what producers are looking for.

We'll just have to wait and see.