Ben at front of the Q for Doctor Who role?

Langford lad Ben Whishaw has emerged as the early frontrunner to become the next Doctor Who.
Ben Whishaw as QBen Whishaw as Q
Ben Whishaw as Q

Peter Capaldi has announced that, following the next series of Doctor Who, he will step down as the Time Lord during the 2017 Christmas special.

According to bookmakers, Ben – best known for playing Q in James Bond films Spectre and Skyfall – is the favourite having also been rumoured to replace Matt Smith when he stepped down from the role.

The top 10 with Ladbrokes are Ben Whishaw 5/1, Richard Ayoade 6/1, Rory Kinnear 7/1, Miranda Hart 8/1, Jason Flemyng 9/1, David Harewood 10/1, Helena Bonham Carter 10/1, Alexander Vlahos 12/1, Daniel Rigby 12/1 and Olivia Colman 14/1.

A former pupil of Henlow Middle School, he began acting with the Bancroft Players Youth Theatre at Hitchin’s Queen Mother Theatre, and the Big Spirit theatre company when he attended Samuel Whitbread Community College in Clifton.

He graduated from the Roy al Academy of Dramatic Art in 2003.

He has since gone on to win acclaim for performances on stage and screen, receiving a BAFTA for his portrayal of Richard II in BBC’s The Hollow Crown, based on WilliamShakespeare’s history plays. He also appeared in the Meryl Streep film Suffragettes and will be the voice of Paddington Bear in Paddington 2 due out later this year.