James Bond is back

Daniel Craig will be donning the tux and holster again.

He confirmed it to Stephen Colbert on The Late Show last night in the USA. After admitting he had "been cagey" with interviewers all day, Mr Craig gave Mr Colbert and his cheering audience the "scoop" that he has signed on for another film as 007.

This is, ironically considering Mr Bond's profession, the worst-kept secret in showbiz at the moment. A while ago we were all debating whether Tom Hiddleston or Tom Hardy was stepping into the role and then it all went very quiet.

But now the speculation is over and Mr Craig is back.

I for one am a big fan of this news.

I think Mr Craig has done a great job rejuvenating 007 both as a character and a franchise. I loved the Pierce Brosnan films (not so much Die Another Day), but the series risked being left behind as the Jason Bourne's of the world took over.

Mr Craig and the team breathed new life into it by making it grittier and more real; here is a bond who bleeds, who loses, who dies, but who still gets up, gets the girl and downs a Martini while saving the world.

They sent him on a story arc which covered four films to make him the secret agent we know today. It was a genius move; audiences love a story arc at the moment and it made Bond more human and real.

Some complained it lost the tongue-in-cheek excess which had pervaded the earlier films, but I disagree.

Die Another Day had lots of gadgets and ridiculous escapist moments and it fell a bit flat.

When Casino Royale came out in 2006 the world was looking pretty upbeat and the vogue was for gritty and realistic films. Recently audiences have gone looking for escapism from cinema again. The world is, arguably, rather gloomier and we want films which take us away for a moment, hence the endless stream of superhero flicks.

But the Bond franchise has kept pace and the last installment, Sepctre, featured a megalomaniacal evil genius living in a high-tech base in the middle of the desert. We are back folks.

So I am thrilled Mr Bond is back and equally delighted Mr Craig will be too.