Kris Marshall – who recently stepped down as the lead actor in Death In Paradise – is the male favourite (4/1) while Ben Whishaw has odds of 10/1.
Tilda Swinton has emerged as the shock favourite to take over from Peter Capaldi as popular BBC character Doctor Who (who finished second in the channel’s recent poll of best-loved characters).
The Oscar-nominee is hotly tipped to become the new Time Lord by Ladbrokes who is strongly expecting this to be the first time a female has played the character.
Other female contenders in the running include Olivia Colman (5/1), Maxine Peake (8/1) and Fleabag actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge (12/1).