He’s quoted as saying: "I would love to play Bond one day but I think I am 10 years too young. Physically, I am not quite big enough. Of course, I could go to the gym or whatever.

"Maybe in seven years time when Daniel is done and tired of it and can retire a very rich man, then maybe I could step into his shoes. I think he’s been absolutely brilliant as James Bond. I thought he was superb."

Just a few days ago the star, who is busy planning his wedding to Alice Evans, said he can’t wait until the Beckhams move to LA - so he can play football with David.

Ioan’s romantic ambition - Feb 27 2007
It seems Ioan Gruffudd has romantic reasons for wanting to join the Hollywood A-list.

The Hornblower star, who now lives in LA with fiancee Alice, told the Daily Express that he wants to follow in the footsteps of A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon "not only for the satisfaction but also to get the money in order to have a lovely wedding".

The paper reports that Ioan, 33, and Alice, 34, have decided not to marry in Ioan’s native Wales, but to tie the knot in either LA or Mexico.

They had toyed with the idea of getting hitched in Cardiff but in the end decided that the big day should "celebrate our new life in America".

And perhaps climate has a part to play too. Wales is not known for its balmy weather and the actor said Alice has her heart set on an outdoor ceremony.

"Alice has this idea of being married on the beach," he said.

With his new films Agent Crush and Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer due for release this year, he certainly shouldn’t have a problem funding a glamorous wedding. No matter what the location.

Ioan’s bid for Hornblower revival - Feb 20 2007
He might have hit the Hollywood big time, but Ioan Gruffudd wants to play the character who first made him famous again and get Hornblower on the silver screen.

The handsome Welsh actor, who lives in Los Angeles with his fiancee Alice Evans, wants to resurrect the role of naval officer Horatio Hornblower, who he played in eight TV movies from 1998, the Daily Express reports.

But brave Ioan would apparently have to go it alone, funding and producing the film himself, because the TV company A&E have no plans to make any more.

The 33-year-old last played Hornblower in 2003 and now hopes to secure the rights to the original novels by CS Forester.

He says he would really like to appear in a modern remake of the 1951 film Captain Horatio Hornblower which starred Gregory Peck.

"I would love to play Hornblower again," he told the paper.

"I have a dream of playing him on the big screen and maybe doing a remake of Captain Horatio Hornblower, aka Gregory Peck.

"A&E decided that since it’s such an expensive venture to make these movies for television, they’re not going to make any more at this point. So it’s down to me, I think, to try and bring it to life."

Gruffudd backs bid to save Burberry - Nov 27 2006
Hollywood star Ioan Gruffudd has thrown his weight behind the campaign to save 300 jobs at a closure-threatened Burberry factory.

The firm’s Rhondda Valley plant, in south Wales, is the centre of a high profile campaign aimed at ensuring production is not switched overseas.

Gruffudd, who grew up in nearby Aberdare, has written to the firm’s chief executive asking her to reconsider.

His intervention comes as a result of local AM Leighton Andrews who released a letter from Gruffudd outlining his action.