SCOTTISH-BORN Game of Thrones and Bodyguard star Richard Madden has seen his odds on being the next James Bond slashed, according to bookmakers William Hill.
Madden, who was born in Elderslie in Renfrewshire, would be the second Scot to play the iconic spy.
His odds are currently on 8/1, making him the seventh favourite, William Hill said.
The current front runner according to that bookmaker is Henry Cavill, the Superman actor from Jersey. His odds are on 2/1.
Other top contenders include Idris Elba (9/2), Rege-Jean Page (11/4), Tom Hardy (5/1), and James Norton (6/1).
Outlander star Sam Heughan (below) has been given odds of 16/1.
The previous James Bond, Daniel Craig, stepped back from the role following the release of the international blockbuster No Time To Die.
Hi co-star in the movie, the new 007 Lashana Lynch, has been given odds of 7/1 to take over as Bond.
The bookmakers are offering odds of 11/2 that the next Bond will be female.
A William Hill spokesperson said: “It’s no surprise that Richard Madden is a good fit for the role, as his work on BBC’s The Bodyguard clearly showed that he’s no stranger to defending key figures against attack on behalf of his country.
“It’s also high time that we saw another Scottish Bond enter the fray – after all, 007 has a strong connection to Scotland based on Ian Fleming’s work, so why not have Madden pick up where [Sean] Connery left off?”
William Hill’s full list of odds on the next Bond can be found here.
