BBC denies new Doctor Who betting claims

(BBC)

The BBC today denied any knowledge of suspicious betting activity over the identity of the new Doctor Who.

Bookmakers reduced odds on actor Matt Smith landing the role shortly before Saturday's announcement after a flurry of bets were made on the relatively unknown 26-year-old.

Nearly seven million people saw him named as the 11th Time Lord, the youngest yet, on Saturday.

At bookmaker Paddy Power, which took £40,000 in total, odds on Smith fell from 33-1 to 10-1 in the run-up to the weekend's announcement.

"For such an unknown name as Matt Smith to go from 33-1 to 10-1 suggests there were obviously people who did know," Paddy Power spokesman Darren Haines said.

"However it wasn't widespread, so it wasn't enough to set our alarm bells ringing, otherwise he would have crashed in as favourite."

But he said people were still putting more money on other names, including David Morrissey, Paterson Joseph and James Nesbitt.

Mr Haines said the betting pattern was "enough to suggest there were people out there who knew, but I certainly wouldn't describe it as a betting coup".

"It was very much one under the radar," he said.

He added that it was hard to keep details of such a major announcement quiet as so many people would have been involved.

"All in all, they did quite well," he said.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "The BBC has no knowledge of anyone betting on the outcome of the identity of the 11th Doctor."

Smith replaces David Tennant at the helm of the Tardis, and is due to first appear on our screens as the revered doctor in 2010.

Although relatively unknown, he has appeared in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys at the National Theatre in London, and alongside Christian Slater in Swimming With Sharks in the West End.

He also worked with the Doctor's companion, Billie Piper, in the 2006 TV adaptation of The Ruby In The Smoke.