Bridgerton's Regé-Jean Page says Bond rumours are like 'a merit badge'

Regé-Jean Page, the breakout star of hit Netflix period drama Bridgerton, has officially joined the James Bond rumour mill.

Last week, murmurs began to swirl that he could be in the running to fill Daniel Craig's tuxedo in the role of 007.

And he's now responded to the chatter, and while he had no news to confirm or deny, he explained what it means as a British actor to be linked to the quintessential British spy role.

Read more: Bookies slash odds for Regé-Jean Page as the new Bond

“I think there might be an element of cultural translation to be done here,” he said on an appearance on The Tonight Show in the US, with host Jimmy Fallon.

Watch: Regé-Jean Page on ‘intimacy coaches’

“If you're a Brit, and you do something of any kind of renown that people regard well, then people start saying the 'B' word. It's like a merit badge. You get the 'B' word merit badge.”

He went on: “I’m very glad to have the badge, I’m very glad to be in the company of such people whop have the badge, but it’s just a badge.”

Read more: Everything you need to know about Bridgerton season two

So it would appear that despite Ladbrokes' 5/1 offer on the actor, he's yet to seal the deal with Barbara Broccoli.

He now joins a host of other actors being linked to the role, though Eon Productions, which makes the Bond movies, is notoriously secretive about its casting.

Among them are the likes of Idris Elba, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, Richard Madden, James Norton and Tom Hiddleston, though how much of that is due to how good they look in a dinner suit – and little else – remains to be seen.

Read more: 15 actors who could be the next James Bond

Outside contenders include the likes of Paul Mescal, of Normal People fame, and Outlander's Sam Heughan.

Daniel Craig was a curveball when he was announced as the new Bond in 2005, taking up the mantle for Casino Royale.

The Croatian actor Goran Višnjić, best known for ER, also auditioned on the same day as Craig, while Sam Worthington and Dougray Scott were also in the running at the time.

Henry Cavill, who some are tipping for the part, also auditioned at the same time as Craig, but being 22, he was considered too young.

No Time To Die, Craig's final Bond movie, is currently set for release on 2 April after being delayed several times from its original November 2019 release date.

Watch: No Time To Die trailer