James Bond's biggest surprise enemy finally comes to light

James Bond may have faced deadly villains, impossible missions and high-speed car chases, but there's one thing Britain's most famous spy was never allowed to have and that was a dog.

Author Charlie Higson has revealed that when he was writing his Young Bond novels, he tried to give the teenage 007 a canine companion, only to be swiftly shut down by the guardians of the Bond legacy.

Speaking on the My Mate Bought a Toaster podcast, Charlie admitted he originally thought a loyal pooch would be the perfect sidekick for the young spy.

"In my first book I gave Bond a dog," he said. 

"I thought, 'He's on an adventure, he should have a dog.'"

But the Fleming estate quickly stepped in and vetoed the idea because the late author famously disliked canines.

"They said no, Ian hated dogs. So I had to shoot the dog," he joked.

So the animal never made it into the final version of the book. 

Looking back, Charlie confessed it was probably for the best anyway.

"The dog didn't make it into the book, which is good actually because I didn't have a lot for the dog to do," he laughed. 

"There were only so many clues you could dig up with your paws."

The revelation comes as speculation over the next Bond continues to dominate Hollywood.

While stars including Callum Turner, Harris Dickinson and Jacob Elordi have all been linked to the iconic role after Daniel Craig's departure, legendary Bond casting director Debbie McWilliams believes they're simply too famous.

After more than 40 years casting the franchise, Debbie insists Bond should remain an "enigma" whose private life is a mystery.

She argued audiences shouldn't know where Bond shops, lives or who his family are, saying the character works best when played by a relatively unknown actor, just as Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig were before taking on the licence to kill.

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