LOS ANGELES - Daniel Craig has officially renewed his licence to kill.

Talk has swirled of late that he was returning to the role despite his previous comments that he would rather slit his wrists than play James Bond again.

However, on Tuesday's Late Show, he confirmed personally for the first time that he will be back for his fifth turn in the James Bond franchise.

"Yes," he replied when show host Stephen Colbert asked.

"We've been discussing it, we've just been trying to figure things out," he added.

That will come as a relief for 007 fans because Craig was still in denial mode just earlier that day. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he had said on a morning radio show that "I'd hate to burst the bubble but no decision has been made".

Telling Colbert that the new Bond 25 movie would be his last outing, he said: "I just want to go out on a high note and I can't wait."