Rylan Clark is the frontrunner to replace Jermaine Jenas as a presenter on The One Show following the former footballer’s dismissal from the BBC.
The ex-Tottenham Hotspur and England player, 41, featured regularly on Match of the Day and The One Show, but was taken off air by the broadcaster after an investigation was launched over complaints about his workplace conduct.
While Jenas - who was believed to be a future contender to replace Gary Lineker on Match of the Day - insists “there's two sides to every story”, talk has already turned to his potential successor.
According to bookmakers betideas.com, TV and radio star Clark is a shoe-in, offering odds of nine to two.
Other notable candidates in the market for the position are Welsh TV presenter Gethin Jones who is placed seven to two, while recently retired Olympic diver Tom Daley also has a shot at eight to one.
Lee Astley, spokesperson for betideas.com, said: “The news of Jermaine Jenas’ sacking from The One Show on BBC has kickstarted the rumour mill on who will replace him as a permanent host, with Rylan Clark a solid chance in the betting.
“Rylan, a man well-versed in the world of television presenting with stints on ITV’s This Morning and the Eurovision Song Contest, has been given odds of 9/2 to assume the vacancy left by Jenas as a presenter on BBC’s hit chat show.
“Gethin Jones, one of Wales’s most prominent presenters, has odds of seven to two as the market leader for the position, with Great Britain’s own Olympic gold medallist, Tom Daley, at longer odds of eight to one to fill the role since his retirement from professional diving.”
Daley told The Standard just earlier this week that his huge ambition is to break into TV presenting, could this be his big break?
He teased: “There are a couple of things that I’m working on in the TV space like, behind the scenes and coming up with ideas in the creative space.”
“I’d like to one day become a TV host. There are lots of things that I have dreams of being able to do and I think the next couple of months are kind of laying the ground work for that.”