Following the success of The Crown’s fourth series, attention is now turning to who’ll be taking on the roles of key public figures in the 1990s when the royal drama returns to Netflix.
So far, we already know that Imelda Staunton will be taking over from Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II, with Jonathan Pryce and Elizabeth Debicki also confirmed to be among the new batch of royals.
Well, it’s now been reported that bosses have found their star to play former prime minister Tony Blair – and he’ll be a very familiar face to anyone who watched Fleabag.
Yes, The Sun is reporting that Andrew “Hot Priest” Scott has been approached to appear as the former Labour leader.
They pointed out that Andrew is now a year older than Blair was when he entered Downing Street in 1997, and suggested that he’ll be a key player in the drama’s sixth and final series, which will see the PM and the Queen disagreeing after the death of Princess Diana.
Suffice to say, the news has already caused quite a stir on social media…
andrew scott nation let's fucking go https://t.co/csORs9Pn3X
— M 🦋 (@fervideductions) April 8, 2021
Not satisfied with making people horny for Thatcher, it’s now time for Hot Blair https://t.co/q6bILbwaf8
— Phoenix CS Andrews 🏳️⚧️ (@pennyb) April 8, 2021
ANDREW SCOTT IN THE CROWN IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENINGpic.twitter.com/MmBGNZSupB
— ًraj LOKI BREAKDOWN (@fuckavoys) April 8, 2021
they want me to be fainting over tony blair the crown has an agenda you guys. https://t.co/GLTw7iywdZ
— maz (@Iewyndavis) April 8, 2021
Oh for christ sake i'm going to fancy tony blair aren't i https://t.co/7uM12VVyfc
— Lauren 🌹 (@l_d1995x) April 8, 2021
OMG. OMG. OMG. Although this maybe a bit um *confusing*.https://t.co/Z25Nu5QMZ0
— Stephanie Peatling (@srpeatling) April 8, 2021
ANDREW SCOTT IN THE CROWN???????! WE STAY WINNING pic.twitter.com/KaEUsCfV0w
— alice (@nightcrawlIer) April 8, 2021
ANDREW SCOTT W THE CROWN WHAA–
— kika (@xkikus_) April 8, 2021
andrew scott and elizabeth debicki in the crown season 5 …. pic.twitter.com/myRYYP8LAK
— erin 📌 (@MCAVOHYS) April 8, 2021
andrew scott staring in the final season of the crown that’s all i want and more pic.twitter.com/tiXaDyd7yy
— ellieᴴ (@tbsIcaroIina) April 8, 2021
PLEASE GOD PLEASE https://t.co/LK39qrnaShpic.twitter.com/FqAGXc2HeO
— selo (@selofalls) April 8, 2021
Andrew’s agent told the Daily Mail that the star would be “unavailable” for the current filming dates, so “would have to shuffle his schedules to make The Crown role work”.
Netflix had no comment when contacted by HuffPost UK. We have also contacted Andrew Scott’s representatives for additional comment.
As well as his aforementioned role in Fleabag, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination, Andrew also played Moriarty in Sherlock and had a major role in the James Bond film Spectre.
The Irish actor has actually shared the screen with Imelda Staunton before, in the Bafta-nominated film Pride.
Pride also featured Dominic West, who has been heavily rumoured to be taking over the role of Prince Charles from Josh O’Connor.