Next James Bond favourite hits back at 'thousands of abusive hate messages' from 007 fans

Amazon MGM Studios are gearing up for the James Bond reboot with Denis Villeneuve in the director's chair and Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight as screenwriter.

Yet fans remain in the dark over who will be cast as the next 007, some 20 years since Daniel Craig was announced for Casino Royale.

Earlier this month, The Hollywood Reporter's source claimed Scott Rose-Marsh had a Bond audition back in June.

The 37-year-old's screen test reportedly involved reading sides from 1995's GoldenEye, Pierce Brosnan's first Bond movie.

The British actor, best known for The Krays: Code of Silence and Wolves of War, currently has best odds of 7-2 to be cast as the new 007.

Yet, following all the rumours, he's released a statement hitting back at the abusive messaging he's received simply for having red hair. If anything, it sounds reminiscent of all the nonsensical backlash to Craig's being blonde.

Scott captioned an Instagram post, "#Gingerism #ProudRedhead #StopGingerDiscrimination" and it read: "Over the past week, I've been targeted with hundreds - but I've read thousands - of abusive, aggressive, and hateful messages. All because I have red hair. They've questioned my credibility as a human and even my ability as an actor. Some outlets have fanned the flames. GQ even suggested my natural red hair could 'set back ginger rights by decades.' Others falsely claimed I dyed it - I didn't. I'm a natural redhead. So proud to be a redhead."

Scott added: "The abuse has gone further: people have even used AI to create images of me with darker hair or darker eyebrows - as if changing who I am could make me 'acceptable.' Some outlets have also deliberately chosen old photos where I am overweight to fuel the fire, even when it's obvious I look entirely different now. I've lived this. Children with red hair are still bullied today for the same reason. Hair colour shouldn't determine your worth - yet society still treats it that way."

When Daily Express asked if he had anything to say on the rumours that he'd auditioned for Bond, he simply replied: "I only have one thing to say: 'Spread love not hate.'"