The new Bond, Yong Bond revealed!

Barnaby Edwards, Writer/Director, said: "When you're looking for someone to portray the icon that is Bond, you've got to get it right, so we cast the net wide. I listened to audio auditions from over 500 young hopefuls, from which we selected 12 to bring into studio and put through their paces. We had some truly wonderful Bonds on that day - some famous, some unknown - but Isaac was the best of the best.

"His vision of Bond chimed so precisely with that of Fleming and Higson. He was the Bond of the books: tough but vulnerable, intelligent, witty, loyal, with a keen sense of justice and a strong dislike of bullies. Isaac is also a great leading man to work with. I genuinely cannot imagine a better actor to play Young Bond. It was very much a case of nobody does it better.

"Wilder Lawless is independent, feisty, funny, and, like James himself, punches up and never down. I thought she was a marvellous creation. This meant getting a leading lady who was every bit the equal of Isaac’s Bond. Again, it was a long process of auditioning until we narrowed it down to four potential actresses. Charlotte shone out on the day. She gave her Wilder this irresistible impetuosity and infectious joie de vivre."

Robert Valentine, Producer, added: "When Isaac auditioned for us, in under a minute I was convinced we'd found our Young Bond. Isaac's James Bond is very much in the Fleming mould, and even though he's playing him as a young teenager, there's every sense that he’s going to grow up to become the literary 007.

"Charlotte McBurney was everything we were looking for in Wilder Lawless and more. Wilder is a force of nature, and Charlotte absolutely brings that to the role. She can play young - Wilder is sixteen - but she’s mature, fiery and exactly the person James Bond needs to help him save the day."

And Amanda Douglas, Managing Director of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, said: "At Ian Fleming Publications, we were incredibly impressed by the talent on display throughout the audition process. Isaac brought a quiet confidence and authenticity that made him feel perfectly suited to the role of Young Bond, while Charlotte captured Wilder Lawless's charisma and energy brilliantly. Together with the rest of the cast, they represent an exceptional group of performers, and we are delighted to have found such outstanding talent for our first full-cast audio production of Young Bond."

Isaac Rouse © Dave Bird

Charlotte McBurney © Dave Bird

Charlotte McBurney and Isaac Rouse © Dave Bird

Robert Valentine, Lizzie Worsdell, Isaac Rouse, Barnaby Edwards © Dave Bird