This is apparently why Tom Hiddleston is not being considered for the role of James Bond

We couldn’t have predicted that one…

This time last year it was set to be Tom Hiddleston’s moment, with the success of The Night Manager propelling him into the spotlight, turning him into the man of 2017 and the favourite to play the next James Bond.

The Bond rumours started to spread like wildfire when Tom was spotted meeting James Bond director, Sam Mendes, at a London hotel, and people started to hedge their bets on the 36-year-old actor.

Unfortunately with the stratospheric fame came negative spotlight, with his very public (and short-lived) romance with Taylor Swift, the wearing of that I heart T.S. tank top and of course the awkward Golden Globes speech that he had to issue a public apology about.

To add salt to the wounds, it was announced this week that James Bond producer, Barbara Broccoli, had ruled Tom Hiddleston out early on as the next Bond, but it’s not for any of the reasons previously mentioned.

The producer was supposedly reluctant to consider Hiddleston for the role because he was ‘too smug’ and ‘not tough enough’ for the part.

In fact, according to New York Post, Barbara Broccoli might actually have convinced Daniel Craig to reprise the role for a fifth film, despite Craig previously refusing, reportedly turning his back on a two-film deal last year worth a whopping £68 million.

If Daniel Craig does return for another Bond film, it will be his fifth. He first appeared in the 2005 film Casino Royale, then went on to appear in Quantum of Solace in 2008, Skyfall in 2012, and Spectre in 2016.

People are still taking bets on who the next Bond will be, and now that Tom Hiddleston is out of the running, it looks like Idris Elba, Tom Hardy and Damian Lewis are the front-runners.

Poor Tom - hopefully there will be a sequel of The Night Manager to keep him busy.