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Licence To Queer covers queer aspects of Bond books, video games and more. Search here for your favourite titles and characters or find content related to particular queer identities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, etc).

David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

Talking Felix Leiter with Raymond Benson

The fan reaction to the announcement of the new Felix Leiter novel by Raymond Benson has been nothing short of phenomenal. As soon as I heard the news I knew I simply HAD to speak to Raymond himself about it. Check out all you need to know (minus spoilers) about The Hook and the Rye in this FIRST INTERVIEW.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

On Our Minds Only? Bond fans talk mental health

Mental health is not discussed enough, despite it being an important element of the 007 stories. In this series, David talks very openly about mental health with members of the Bond community. He has a theory: these are the sorts of things on many of our minds but we often struggle to put them into words. Maybe our mutual passion for James Bond can help us can change that?

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

The best Bond score of all

Hear my love letter to the music of Casino Royale on the latest episode of The Scores Are Not Enough.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

Jim Fanning Friday 2025: Tomorrow Never (Bow) Ties

Friday 21st February 2025 marked the fifth annual #JimFanningFriday, where Bond fans across the world came together to don some natty neckwear in celebration of a niche - but beloved - character from the franchise and raise money for charity.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

The Other Fellas

First we watched all of Roger’s Bond films in one epic 17 hour marathon. Then we binged on Brosnan. Most recently, we devoted an entire day to Daniel Craig. Across these three events, Licence to Queer readers raised more than £7000 for UNICEF and Papyrus - Prevention of Young Suicide. For this year’s fundraiser, in aid of Prostate Cancer UK, it’s the turn of The Other Fellas.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

“What’s keeping you awake?” James Bond’s battles with sleep

What if we reframed the whole of the Bond franchise as the story of a man just trying to get a good night’s rest? Lifelong insomniac David Lowbridge-Ellis gets under the covers with 007 to explore when he sleeps, if he’s really the early riser he claims to be and why we should be concerned about his dreams.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

Debate over? On Her Majesty’s Secret Service IS a Christmas film

It’s fun to debate the extent to which action movies like Die Hard and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service are ‘Christmas films’. But, in my mind, there is no debate. They are unequivocally Christmas films because they embody the ambivalence of the season: darkness mixed with light; sadness with joy; looking death in the face and, ultimately, choosing to live.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

Keeping 007 alive

Mark Edlitz’s stunning new book contains interviews with every living author who has penned a Bond novel, from Raymond Benson to Kim Sherwood. It also contains special interviews with the son of John Gardner and Ian Fleming Publication Limited's Managing Director Corinne Turner. The cover art is by Sean Longmore, the illustrations are by Pat Carbajal, the foreword is by three time Bond scribe Bruce Feirstein and the afterword is by me.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

“An alternative action hero”

David was featured on German’s biggest TV channel, ZDF, talking about how James Bond provided him with an alternative role model when he was growing up, especially compared with the supposedly hypermasculine action heroes of 70s and 80s cinema.

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

Uncovering the Bond art of Michael Gillette

Michael Gillette’s art is nothing short of beloved by Bond fans. His gorgeous new hardback covers are the culmination of six years of work. He tells the full story here for the first time in this in-depth interview…

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David Lowbridge-Ellis David Lowbridge-Ellis

Secrets of the Spy Bar

If I was to tell you that there is a Bond-themed speakeasy bar hidden beneath Whitehall in rooms frequented by intelligence officers during the Second World War, possibly Ian Fleming too, would you accuse me of joking? How about if I added that the bar has an Aston Martin DB5 actually installed into the wall? Well, I never joke about my favourite bars, 007 fans.

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