Helen Mirren slams James Bond franchise as sexist

Helen Mirren has furiously hit out at the James Bond franchise to brand it sexist.

The 79-year-old is one of the lead stars in the new Paramount+ crime drama MobLand - which is produced by Guy Ritchie.

Mirren plays a crime ring matriarch - and is joined in the cast by former Bond star Pierce Brosnan, who plays her on-screen husband.

While discussing the series with The Evening Standard, Mirren shared her disdain for the Bond franchise - and argued more should be done to make way for stories about female spies.

She said, The whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism.

"Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service, they always have been. And very brave. If you hear about what women did in the French Resistance, they're amazingly, unbelievably courageous."

She added, "So I would tell real stories about extraordinary women who've worked in that world."

Later this year, fans will see Mirren and Brosnan together again in a Netflix adaptation of The Thursday Murders Club - a film version of the crime-comedy book by Richard Osman.

Mirren's character, Elizabeth Best, is a retired spy, while Brosnan's Ron Ritchie is a retired union leader and they join other retired characters who work together to crack unsolved crimes.

MobLand is set to premiere on Paramount+ on Sunday 30 March.