Odds slashed on Jamie Bell becoming the next James Bond after flurry of bets

A flurry of bets suggests Jamie Bell has become a new favourite to take over as James Bond.

Billy Elliot himself may swap pirouettes for precision driving, and chassés for karate as odds have fallen dramatically for him to take over as 007.

While Bell was sitting near the bottom of the pack, Ladbrokes have confirmed that in 48 hours his odds dropped from 33/1 to 8/1 – to those who don’t like a little flutter, this is a positive shift in his favour.

Despite some questionable film roles (remember Jumper, anyone?) Bell has seen his star slowly rise since he was catapulted to fame at 13 when chosen to play Billy Elliot.

He’s no stranger to the blockbuster, appearing in Peter Jackson’s King Kong, and taking the lead last year in the unfortunate flop that was Fantastic Four.

Now he may take on the role of the lifetime – although he can’t step into the Aston Martin just yet.