Last night time Express.co.uk attended the glitzy premiere of the first-ever non-scripted James Bond TV collection, held on the newly refurbished Battersea Power Station.

Prime’s 007 Road to a Million pitches groups of two on an journey around the globe answering trivia inquiries to win as much as £1 million, all of the whereas surrounded by Bond-esque places, stunts and challenges.

Brian Cox hosts the fact present as his very personal Bond villain The Controller, placing contestants by trials that would not look misplaced in a 007 film.

At a screening of the primary episode attended by the Succession star and Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Gregg Wilson, we have been handled to such comedian highlights as a duo being pressured to measure a dwell Boa constrictor in a Venetian villa, whereas one couple broke down a door earlier than it dawned on them that they’d should weigh a tarantula. Yes, it is one thing of a mash-up of Who Wants to Be a Million and I’m a Celeb, however with none of the trashiness. Instead, the competitors suits snuggly into the fashionable, globetrotting atmosphere of Bond’s world.

But simply how concerned have been EON Productions in 007 Road to a Million actually? We determined to search out out by asking one of many franchise’s producers in particular person.

Bond followers will likely be acquainted with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, the daughter and stepson of 007 movie franchise creator ‘Cubby’ Albert R Broccoli, who head up EON Productions and the James Bond motion pictures right this moment. Also working intently with them is Michael’s son, Associate Producer Gregg Wilson, who some suspect will someday be working the whole firm.

His first job on the 007 franchise was aiding composer David Arnold on the rating for 1999’s The World Is Not Enough, earlier than having improvement, manufacturing help and sound design tasks on 2002’s Die Another Day. When Pierce Brosnan was changed by Daniel Craig in 2006’s Casino Royale, Gregg joined EON Productions full time and has labored on all 5 of the outgoing star’s Bond motion pictures – plus the corporate’s different options Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool and The Rhythm Section.

In between 2019’s No Time To Die and the upcoming Bond 26, his focus has been on the 2022 sixtieth anniversary celebrations and now 007 Road to a Million, which he’s been significantly concerned in.

How does your involvement within the Bond movies differ from when engaged on 007 Road to a Million?

Gregg Wilson: “On the films, I’m extremely hands-on and I’m involved at all stages from development up until beyond release. But on this project, because we’re not the actual production making it (72 Films is), I’m more involved in development, the casting and setting everything up. But I’m not on set when they’re shooting it, that would probably be the major difference. And also the way that this was shot, they had a very small nimble crew, so it’s only really a dozen people following around these contestants sometimes.

“And then you wait to see the rushes come back, so it’s different in some ways, but the whole planning is very much similar. But of course, I’m very much just one voice in a room of many thrashing this out. Amazon is very involved too and MGM too.”

How concerned have been your father Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli in 007 Road to Million alongside your self?

Gregg Wilson: “We’re always working as a team and we delegate. Barbara wanted to be involved in all the important stages, particularly the casting was really important to her. Dad and Barbara both approved [the final contestants having watched] the videos of all the potential candidates, whittled down, gave our notes on who we thought was good, who we thought was maybe not. And also approving all the major locations and that kind of stuff.

“I was a little more in the weekly meetings than they were, but I would brief them on whatever the important decisions were that had to be made. It’s a team effort, we kind of just decide who’s going to be more involved in certain projects. From the beginning, when we talked about it, it was just decided that this one, because I felt it was going to be a very interesting, new, exciting journey for us, was one that I wanted to be involved with. So I said, ‘I’m happy to run this and bring you guys in when it’s necessary for all the important bits.’ Their creative fingerprints are on everything we’ve done on this show, but 72 Films deserves the credit as the company that made it.”

Does your father Michael G Wilson learn from the way Cubby Broccoli mentored him in how he mentors you and gives you responsibility in the 007 franchise?

Gregg Wilson: “Definitely. The spirit of Cubby lives on in everything we do and I wasn’t working yet in my career when he passed away. So I just knew him as a grandfather, but I feel very much the lessons that he taught Dad and Barbara have been imbued in me in some way with that connection. And it’s a special thing to be part of this incredible family business.”

Is the plan one day to hand over the reins of EON Productions and the James Bond films to you?

“I’m happy to be a part of it as long as people keep going to the cinemas and watching these films.”

Lastly, where are EON Productions at now with the next Bond?

“No plans on making the next Bond at this stage. There will be another Bond someday, but we’re not actively developing it.”

Barbara Broccoli has made comparable feedback on Bond 26 in current weeks. However, an knowledgeable with insider information of the franchise, who is aware of her personally and was in attendance on the premiere, has shared his ideas on what’s actually happening with the subsequent Bond course of.

007 Road to a Million is streaming on Prime from November 10, 2023.