The name’s Bond. Queer Bond.

Peter Finch as Oscar Wilde in Cubby Broccoli’s 1960 movie The Trials of Oscar Wilde. The role won Finch the Best Actor BAFTA and paved Bond’s path to the screen, as Cubby fought off other Wildean rivals for the rights to film the books.

He’s the man’s man, the lady’s man, the pinnacle of heterosexual hyper-masculinity. His name is Bond.

But you know what? Maybe James Bond is not as straight as you think. Because the origin story of 007 is a very queer one. From Ian Fleming’s gay coterie and literary touchstones through to the creation of the Bond template on film, there’s more to the world’s favourite spy than meets the eye. And that’s even before we mention the music . . .

So tune in for a romp through 007’s backpages in the company of cultural historian Mark O’Connell, whose new book, Bond, Queer Bond pulls the spy firmly out of the closet.