Olivia Colman is the most likely actor to replace Peter Capaldi in Doctor Who, according to British bookmakers William Hill.
Placing bets on Doctor Who casting has become a tradition in the U.K., with William Hill arguably predicting Capaldi’s casting by giving him 11/8 odds two days before he was announced in 2013. Capaldi confirmed his departure this week, and while we don’t know when the next actor will be revealed, bookies are already calculating the odds on some popular choices.
Broadchurch star Olivia Colman is currently on top with 8/1 odds, followed by British TV actors James Norton (Happy Valley), Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen), and Richard Ayoade (The I.T. Crowd) at 10/1. Ben Whishaw is at 12/1, with some less realistic possibilities—Rupert Grint, Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton—at much longer odds. Hayley Atwell, for all the Agent Carter fans out there, is placed at 20/1.
Many fans are hoping the BBC will finally cast a woman or a person of color in the role, with Richard Ayoade, Riz Ahmed, and Hayley Atwell among the fan-favorite options.
Colman, who has David Tennant‘s endorsement as a “magnificent choice” to play the Doctor, represents a plausible combination of innovation and tradition: She’s an established, critically acclaimed British actor, and has appeared in Doctor Who before. She is also best known for starring in Broadchurch, which was created by future Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall.
