‘We would be astonished if he does not get the nod’ James Martin now 1/2 favourite to be next Top Gear presenter
Bookies slash odds on Top Gear frontrunner James Martin to take over from Chris Evans
BOOKIES have slashed the odds of celebrity chef James Martin taking over as the new host of Top Gear following a betting frenzy.
James was named as the new favourite to replace Chris Evans on the motoring show yesterday, and the news sparked a flurry of excitement among fans.
They flocked to betting shops to put their money on the chef, and bosses at William Hill have now slashed the odds of him landing the coveted job from 3/1 to 1/2.
It puts him well ahead of his nearest rival Guy Martin who trails in second place with 6/1.
William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams insists James appears to be the top man for the job.
He said: "We have been swamped with bets for James Martin and I would be astonished if he does not get the nod...
"The BBC might just have found the recipe for success."
Chris quit the job this week after just one season, leaving his co-star Matt LeBlanc as the final remaining Top Gear host.
His departure came amid a storm of criticism from fans and plunging ratings, which nosedived to around 1.9 million viewers by the end of the series.
The figures recorded for Chris and Matt's revamped Top Gear were just a fraction of those recorded at the height of the Jeremy Clarkson era, when the show was garnering in excess of 5 million viewers per episode.
The flurry of bets on James' potential appointment appears to suggest he is a popular choice for the role.
The TV veteran is a well known-car enthusiast and recently left his job as the host of Saturday Kitchen after a decade in charge.
His new odds put him well ahead of the second favourite, hunky motorcycle racer Guy at 6/1 and Formula 1 legend Jenson Button, who is in third with odds of 8/1.
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Other contenders at 8/1 include motoring journalist and presenter Rebecca Jackson and Ashes to Ashes actor Philip Glenister, while X Factor host Dermot O'Leary has odds of 10/1, as does former supermodel Jodie Kidd.
Pop star James Blunt is an outside at 50/1 along with Matt's former Friends co-star Matthew Perry.
Since the news emerged yesterday, fans have flocked to Twitter to express their delight over the idea of James hosting Top Gear.
One wrote: "Would definitely watch top gear again if James Martin is host! Miss Saturday kitchen without James!" and another added: "I'll force myself to become interested in cars if @jamesmartinchef becomes the new host of Top Gear."
One tweeted their opinion straight to show bosses, writing: "BBC this is a very good idea."
Chris and Matt were brought in to save the popular motoring show folowing the departure of longtime hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.
Clarkson’s contract was not renewed by BBC bosses following a bust-up with between the presenter and one of the show’s producers.
Hammond and May later walked away from the hugely-successful series, and the trio are currently preparing to launch a rival show called The Grand Tour.