Bookies suspends betting on next James Bond after large bet placed on Tom Hiddleston

A bookmaker has suspended betting on who will be named the next James Bond after a large bet was placed on British actor Tom Hiddleston.

A flurry of bets over the past 24 hours tipped the star of The Night Manager to replace Daniel Craig as the next 007, making him the 2-1 favourite.

After a particularly big gamble, his odds plummeted to 1-2 and Coral suspended betting.

Earlier this week Hiddleston was reportedly spotted meeting with Bond movie director Sam Mendes and producer Barbara Broccoli.

Luther star Idris Elba and Homeland actor Damian Lewis had been frontrunners for the job in previous months, Coral said.

Elba was priced at 9-1 and Lewis at 14-1 before betting was suspended. Poldark star Aidan Turner had 3-1 odds and Mad Max: Fury Road actor Tom Hardy was at 4-1.

Nicola McGeady, a spokeswoman for Coral, said: "There is no smoke without fire, and following the big gamble on Tom Hiddleston in the last 24 hours, we've had no choice but to pull the plug on the market.

"Earlier in the year there was a gamble on Idris Elba and Damian Lewis, but nothing has come close to the recent gamble on Hiddleston."

Additional reporting by the Press Association.