Luther actor Idris Elba says that he may have a love of fast cars but he is not interested in joining Chris Evans on a new-look Top Gear – and goes quiet on persistent James Bond rumours.
Elba, who got his big break as Russell “Stringer” Bell in hit HBO crime series The Wire in 2002, said he is not going to enter the open auditions for the next Top Gear.
“No, I’m an actor,” he told the Radio Times. “I haven’t done much presenting.”
Speculation that he might be keen has been fuelled by his new series for Discovery, Idris Elba: No Limits, in which the actor competes in motor rallying, power boating and aerobatic flying events for the show which starts on Monday 6 July.
“I like driving vehicles,” he said. “As soon as I could buy a proper car, I bought an XR2, like a fast Fiesta.”
Elba picked up five speeding tickets while competing in the Gumball 3,000 Rally in an Aston Martin DB9 in 2010.
He has previously fronted BBC2 documentary King of Speed, in which he explored how motor racing has evolved on the track and on the street.
Elba was also quick to dampen speculation that he is being considered to replace Daniel Craig as the next incarnation of James Bond.
“It’s just a rumour,” he said.
Bookmakers have him in a head-to-head with Band of Brothers and Homeland actor Damian Lewis to be the next actor given a licence to kill, but Elba refuses to be drawn.
“I’ve no idea,” he said.
Last year, the BBC announced it is to bring back Elba’s maverick detective John Luther for two special episodes.
The show is also about to be remade by Fox in the US, with Elba acting as an executive producer.
Elba is also voicing tiger Shere Khan in Disney’s upcoming Jungle Book animation and Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory.
