By Fleabag's second and final series caused such a stir when released earlier this year that it resulted in a spike of Google searches for 'can priests have sex?' and increased sales of Marks & Spencer pre-mixed gin and tonic cans.
Subsequently it has been confirmed that show creator and lead actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who is also responsible for adapting award-winning series Killing Eve, had been called in to "liven up" the script for Bond 25.
The news had many joking that it might result in Bond breaking the fourth wall to address the audience, or adopting a ginger guinea pig named Hillary. It also sparked a debate about whether the franchise is irrelevant due to its historic treatment of women.
Waller-Bridge has waded into the debate - with Fleabag-esque gusto - to argue the idea Bond is irrelevant is "bollocks".
In an interview with Deadline she said that, "There's been a lot of talk about whether or not [the Bond franchise] is relevant now because of who he is and the way he treats women."
"I think that's bollocks. I think he's absolutely relevant now. It has just got to grow. It has just got to evolve, and the important thing is that the film treats the women properly. He doesn't have to. He needs to be true to this character."
She also discussed how pleased she was to help give exciting and fully-formed roles to the female actresses in the forthcoming film, saying she hopes they open the script and think: "I can't wait to do that.'"
Waller-Bridge, who has said in the past that she wrote Fleabag as she wasn't being offered the kind of roles wanted to play, explained that, "As an actress, I very rarely had that feeling early in my career. That brings me much pleasure, knowing that I'm giving that to an actress."
During the interview she also praised Bond actor Daniel Craig saying that "When I saw his Bond for the first time, there was a wryness to his performance that I really loved. So, I was really excited about writing dialogue for him."
Craig, who reportedly was responsible for calling in Waller-Bridge, and will play the spy for the final time in Bond 25, said in an interview with Esquire in 2015 that, "My Bond is not as sexist and misogynistic as [earlier incarnations]. The world has changed. I am certainly not that person."
Bond 25 recently confirmed the extended cast would include regulars Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Naomie Harris. Joining them will be newcomers Lashana Lynch, David Dencik, Ana De Armas and Dali Benssalah, as well as Oscar-winner Rami Malek who is believed to be playing a villain.
The currently untitled 25th outing for 007 will be helmed by True Detective and Maniac director Cary Joji Fukunaga. He came on board the franchise after British director Danny Boyle parted ways with Sony, reportedly as he didn't want to kill off 007.
Bond 25 is due to be released 3 April 2020
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