Josh O'Connor's theatre pals 'claim he's been offered the role of James Bond' after the actor said he is 'taking some time out' in 2027

Josh O'Connor's pals have reportedly claimed that he is going to be the next James Bond during a boozy night out. The Crown star, 36, has been appearing in the play Golden Boy at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, north London and it has now been reported that one of his castmates let the Bond casting news slip after a 'few glasses of lager' at a pub in Soho.Josh didn't appear in the shortlist of three names which the Bond role has reportedly been narrowed down to recently.Jack Lowden, Callum Turner and an unnamed star rumoured to be Joe Alwyn are thought to be the three who have just completed their final auditions ahead of the announcement. A source said of Josh on Thursday: 'I bumped into one of Josh's Golden Boy cast mates at The French House. They were recognised by a lot of people who asked for selfies and we got chatting in a corner completely by accident.'Out of nowhere, and oiled by a few glasses of lager, they blurted out that Josh was the next James Bond. I said it was pure speculation but they were insistent it was Josh.' Josh O'Connor's pals have reportedly claimed that he is going to be the new James Bond during a boozy night out – despite the actor saying just a few days ago he was 'taking some time out' in 2027 Josh didn't appear in the shortlist of three names which the Bond role has reportedly been narrowed down to recently to take over from Daniel Craig (seen)The insider added to The Sun: 'They said that he had confided in them about getting the role when the cast of Golden Boy had celebratory drinks after the play finished its run on Halloween.'A representative for Josh has been contacted by the Daily Mail for comment.Josh is best known for his role as Prince Charles in The Crown, Challengers, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and The History of Sound.Earlier this week Josh responded to rumours that he could play Bond by insisting he's 'taking some time out' in 2027.He played down speculation that he could be the one to take over from Daniel Craig. When asked about the possibility of taking over as the iconic British spy, he said: 'No, no, no. We'll see but I doubt it.''I'm doing something in January, but then yeah, I'm taking some time out,' Josh added – a potential sign that the role of Bond might have slipped through his fingers.However, he said to be considered in that sort of bracket is 'extraordinary'.He further told the BBC: 'It's incredibly, like, a bizarre pinch me moment. Of even being uttered in that same sentence and being considered for something like that. 'It is extraordinary, so I'm very honoured but I'm afraid there's nothing to say beyond that.' The Crown star, 36, has been appearing in the play Golden Boy at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, north London and it has now been reported that one of his castmates let the Bond casting news slip after a 'few glasses of lager' at a pub in SohoJack Lowden, Callum Turner and an unnamed star rumoured to be Joe Alwyn are thought to be the three who have just completed their final auditions ahead of the announcementJosh recently wrapped his run as the lead role in Golden Boy at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, London, where he played 60 shows.According to the latest odds from Ladbrokes, Jack is now the clear front-runner, followed by Callum at 11/4.Josh falls further behind in the odds at 8/1.Slow Horses star and other front-runner Jack, 36, recently broke his silence on claims that he is the 'clear favourite' for the role while speaking to GQ Hype, telling them he believes his future lies in directing.'It's all very flattering. It's nice to be mentioned – for any role – and I'm just not really going to add to the noise...'As a young male actor, generally, the minute you're not playing a zany artist type, the minute you're in a suit, people fling it at you.'Expanding on plans for working behind the camera in the future, he added: 'I don't think it's [his future career] in acting, really. I think it's in making something of my own.'Furthermore, it was recently reported that other front-runner Callum, 36, has quit the film company he founded with wife Dua Lipa – a potential sign that he's focused solely on securing the 007 job.The actor has resigned as a director of Twentytwo Films Ltd which he founded with his pop star wife Dua last August with equal shares, aiming to produce film and television projects similar to Margot Robbie's LuckyChap production house.Casting for the role of James Bond by December would allow Amazon MGM Studios to start filming the next movie in 2027.