He's already received the backing of Kanye West, Jamie Foxx and former Sony boss Amy Pascal among others - but Idris Elba just got another influential supporter in the shape of a former Bond.

Pierce Brosnan, who preceded Daniel Craig in the famous tux and played 007 in four movies between 1994 and 2002, was asked by Radio Times if he thought Elba would make a good Bond.

And he replied simply: "Yeah, he would actually."

He also tipped Colin Salmon as a possible contender and praised Daniel Craig for "making his mark gloriously".

"May the best man get the job and may Daniel bring home the bacon for as long as he wants," he said.

Elba, 42, has previously indicated that he would bite Barbara Broccoli's arm off for the chance to play Bond, but has also played down speculation that the wheels are already in motion.

He told Lorraine Kelly last year that it was "a rumour that's gotten out of control, basically, but that's all it is".

And he insisted: "There's no truth in it whatsoever."

However eyebrows were raised after the infamous Sony hack last year saw an email leaked from studio co-CEO Amy Pascal in which she told a colleague: "Idris should be the next bond."