Scottish actor Martin Compston, best known for his role as DI Steve Arnott in the hit BBC series Line of Duty, is already channelling his inner secret agent, fuelling speculation that he could be a contender to become the next James Bond.
From Police Drama to High-Flying Thriller
The 41-year-old star, who will reprise his role in Line of Duty for its seventh series next year, has joined the cast of ITV's successful thriller, Red Eye. The show's first season, which premiered in 2024, was a major hit, being watched a staggering 29.3 million times on ITVX, leading to its swift renewal.
The original series followed a tense all-night flight from London to Beijing, centred on a man being extradited to China. For the second season, Compston joins returning star Jing Lusi, who plays DS Hana Li. An ITV overview confirms the new plotline: ‘Jing Lusi reprises her role as DS Hana Li alongside new guest star, Martin Compston, who together, must set aside past differences to solve a new high-stakes conspiracy.’
A Brush with Bond and a Love for Action
While bookmakers have given Compston odds of 50/1 to take over from Daniel Craig as 007, the actor revealed to Metro in 2024 that he has not yet been officially approached by the franchise's producers. ‘No, I’ve never been asked to play James. The closest that I’ve had to it was that I was in a play with Daniel Craig. That is my closest brush with 007,’ he stated.
However, in a recent interview with The Sun, Compston opened up about filming Red Eye and his affinity for action scenes, which he sees as a perfect warm-up for a role like Bond. ‘I live for [action scenes], getting a bump on the head, getting up and getting on with it,’ he said. ‘There’s something between action and cut – you can completely switch off and believe it in that moment. People probably would look at me in real life and go, “He’s not ex-SAS”, you know? [But] you can be James Bond, you can be the ultimate spy.’
Who Will Be the Next 007?
Although he hasn't ruled out the possibility, Compston offered his own prediction for the coveted role, tipping a fellow actor. ‘I think that Aaron Taylor-Johnson will make a terrific Bond,’ he said, acknowledging the actor's status as the firm frontrunner. ‘He’s a great actor. I’d love to be in a James Bond film, but I think I’m more likely to be a baddie than 007.’
While an official release date for the second season of Red Eye is still under wraps, ITV has promised viewers plenty of high-octane action featuring Compston very soon. Speaking about joining the show, the actor commented: ‘I’m delighted to be joining the Red Eye team. Hoping to build on the massive success of the first series and give viewers another thrilling ride.’
