Bridgerton’s leading man Jonathan Bailey has now been added to the list of stars who could play James Bond, according to bookmakers William Hill.
The market sees Bailey, originally from Wallingford, going up against current favourite Rege-Jean Page (5-2) for the coveted role, who has long since been a frontrunner after making his acting debut in Netflix’s Bridgerton - announcing his departure once Season 1 concluded.
Reports say that MGM Studios turned their attention from Page to Bailey late last month, following Season 2 of Bridgerton breaking Netflix viewing records, with fans racking up a staggering 251.7 million viewing hours in just seven days on the streaming platform.
Read again: Bridgerton star reveals personal life
Jonathan Bailey stars as the male lead in this season, Anthony Bridgerton, who is embroiled in a love triangle with Kate Sharma and her younger sister, Edwina.
He is 66-1 to follow Daniel Craig as James Bond, according to the bookmaker.
Fans rushed to social media to express their excitement at the show’s return, with Barbara Broccoli and the Bond casting team clearly paying attention to Bailey’s sudden popularity.
Speculation has been rife as to who’ll take on the role of 007, following Daniel Craig’s departure from the franchise with No Time to Die late last year.
Read more: The Bridgerton star from Wallingford
Bailey’s CV suggests that he’d be more than capable of taking on the coveted role, having started acting at just six years old in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of A Christmas Carol, before making his West End debut in Les Miserables at the age of eight.
Current Bond frontrunners
- Rege-Jean Page (5-2)
- Henry Cavill (7-2)
- Michael Fassbender (5-1)
- Idris Elba (7-1)
- Aidan Turner (7-1)
A William Hill spokesperson said: "It seems that there’s something in the water when it comes to Bridgerton, with the leading men clearly making quite the impression with Netflix and Bond enthusiasts alike."
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