Former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan has said he does not care who the new 007 will be but wishes them well.

He played the famous superspy in four films and was replaced by Daniel Craig, who debuted as Bond in 2006’s Casino Royale.

The Mamma Mia! star told British GQ: “Who should do it? I don’t care, it’ll be interesting to see who they get, who the man shall be, whoever he be, I wish him well.”

Pierce Brosnan is the October cover star of British GQ (Danielle Levitt/PA)

Brosnan, 69, who is the cover star for the October issue of British GQ, said of the James Bond films: “I saw the last one, and I saw Skyfall, I love Skyfall.

“I’m not too sure about the last one. Daniel always gives of his heart. Very courageous, very strong. But…”

Craig, 54, made his final outing as 007 in last year’s No Time To Die, which achieved enormous success at the box office, but his successor has not yet been named.

Brosnan’s final Bond film was 2002’s Die Another Day, after GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough.

No Time To Die Royal World Premiere – London
Daniel Craig at the world premiere of No Time To Die (Ian West/PA)

He has appeared in a string of films since departing the Bond series, including two Mamma Mia! musicals, 2010 political thriller The Ghost Writer and 2021’s Cinderella.

The actor, whose Instagram bio also lists him as a producer, painter and environmentalist, has shared pictures of his artworks with his more than 1.5 million followers, and spoke about his painting career, with the magazine saying he has his first gallery show scheduled for next year.

He said: “My late wife was in her second year of ovarian cancer… Carrying the weight and pain and the fear of that illness, I took out the paints. And started painting. With my fingers. With my hands, actually.”

His first wife Cassandra died from ovarian cancer in 1991, and her daughter Charlotte, who Brosnan adopted after he married her mother, died of the same disease in 2013.

Pierce Brosnan and sons Dylan and Paris in British GQ (Danielle Levitt/PA)

In 2001, he married Keely Shaye Smith, with the couple celebrating their 21st wedding anniversary this year. They have two sons Dylan and Paris, who appear alongside him for the British GQ cover interview.

Brosnan says he has advised his sons against careers in acting, with Dylan telling GQ of his famous father: “I always thought he had a lot of friends, growing up, because people would come up to him in the street, and he’s like the nicest guy, so he talks to everyone for a really long time.”

The October issue of British GQ is available on digital download and newsstands from September 27.