Eternals actor Richard Madden has shot up in the odds as the Scottish actor most likely to play James Bond, according to bookies William Hill.
The Elderslie-born actor rose to fame for his role in BBC's Bodyguard series, and has gone on to star in the huge Marvel blockbuster Eternals alongside Gemma Chan and Angelina Jolie.
The 35-year-old Scots actor has been a front-runner to play the new 007 ever since Daniel Craig's retirement from the role was announced, as his odds are now placed at 10-1.
However, Richard isn't the only Scottish candidate on the bookies list being considered for the role - Sam Heughan, Karen Gillan, Ewan McGregor, Gerard Butler and James McAvoy all have odds for the role.
Outlander star Sam Heughan is currently tipped at 16-1 on William Hill, and has previously said he'd bring 'Scottish charm and humour' to the role of Bond.
A fellow Marvel actor, Karen Gillan, best known for her roles as Amy in Doctor Who and Nebula in the MCU, is tipped at 50-1 alongside Gerard Butler.
The two seemingly least likely Scottish candidates are Ewan McGregor (66-1) and James McAvoy (250-1), however, there's also Piers Morgan (1000-1) right at the bottom of the list.
Fans are keen to see Bond return to his Scottish roots, with Fleming’s penultimate novel - You Only Live Twice - revealing that 007 has a Scottish father, and iconic actor Sean Connery having been first to portray the half-Scottish spy on the silver screen.
Speaking on the odds, 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 foray - after all, 007 has a strong connection to Scotland based on Ian Fleming’s work, so why not have Madden pick up where Connery left off?”
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