A view to a Cillian

The odds have been slashed on Cork actor Cillian Murphy to be the next James Bond now that ‘Peaky Blinders’ has ended.

Following Sunday night’s dramatic finale which brought an end to the show’s spectacular ten-year run, bookmaker Ladbrokes has seen a renewal in interest in Cillian Murphy donning the famous tux and has been forced to slash his odds to 10/1 from 25/1.

Despite previously denying the rumours, speculation is mounting that Murphy could be set to pivot from infamous gangster Tommy Shelby to glamorous, globetrotting spy-agent James Bond.

Former ‘Bridgerton’ heartthrob Regé-Jean Page remains the front-runner at 7/2, ahead of Henry Cavill at 4/1 and Dubliner Aidan Turner at 7/1.Other contenders are Tom Hardy at 8/1, James Norton at 10/1, and Kerry’s Michael Fassbender at 10/1.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “Fans must be hoping that Cillian Murphy won’t be absent from our screens for too long as we have seen his odds of playing the next Bond slashed since the Peaky Blinders finale. While Regé-Jean Page is the current frontrunner, it’s still all to play for! Only time will tell if there will be another Irishman taking up the iconic Bond role!”