Bookmakers think Coalville actor will be the next James Bond

Tom Hopper has been in Game of Thrones, Merlin and The Umbrella Academy.

Bets have been flying in on the William Hill website for the 36-year-old Coalville actor Tom Hopper to be cast as the new James Bond.

A surge in bets have made him the bookmakers favourite and he now has the odds of 3/1 . 

Rupert Adams, William Hill's International PR Manager, said: "There must be a rumour going round that he is in the shortlist or has possible already got it. Gambles like these are very rare and when they do happen they nearly always have some basis of truth. I would be extremely surprised if he wasn't on the shortlist."

Before this week he had the odds of 100/1 and was not seen as a big contender for the role. 

He is known for playing Luther Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, Dickon Tarly in Game of Thrones and Sir Percival in BBC's Merlin. 

Mr Adams said: "If you had called me two weeks ago and asked me for a price on Tom Hopper I would have told you that he wasn't even in our betting. Someone asked and we put him in at 100/1 but he has been extremely popular and has been backed all the way into 3/1 favourite which is fairly unheard of."