Doctor Who actor from Northampton, Matt Smith, sees odds slashed for next James Bond

A former Doctor Who star from Northampton has seen his odds for the next James Bond slashed after a surge in fan backing.

Matt Smith, who attended Northampton School for Boys, is best known for his iconic era of Doctor Who, where he shot to fame aged 26 when cast by Steven Moffat as the Eleventh Doctor.

The 39-year-old also went on to be Emmy-nominated for his portrayal of Prince Phillip in The Crown.

Despite Smith batting off Bond rumours claiming that he is “not handsome enough” to play the quintessential British spy, UK bookmakers William Hill has sliced his odds in half from 40-1 to 20-1 this week.

This could be due to his current role in Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, where he is playing Daemon Targaryen and has received numerous positive reviews from both critics and fans - which seemingly could make him a good fit for the next 007.

Speaking on the recent market shifts, Tony Kenny head of sponsorship PR at William Hill said: “The recent success of House of Dragon was bound to shake up the Bond market, but Matt Smith seeing his odds half for the role is clearly a major shift - one that’s worth paying attention to given the keen fan backing.

“He’s of the right age to take on the role, and has proven he’s a diverse and talented actor - and he’s no stranger to taking on an iconic British character, either.”

Rege-Jean Page, Henry Cavill and Tom Hardy remain favourites in becoming the next 007.