Ros Atkins backed into 1-6 favourite to replace Andrew Marr

Ros Atkins is the runaway favourite to be named as Andrew Marr’s replacement on BBC’s Sunday morning flagship politics show.

Atkins, currently presenting on BBC World News, has shot to the front of the betting markets and is as short as 1-6 to land one of the biggest roles on TV.

OLBG’s latest markets have Atkins as clear favourite for the role, ahead of the likes of Sophie Raworth, Emily Maitlis and Emma Barnett.

Marr is stepping down from ‘The Andrew Marr Show’, broadcast on Sunday mornings, after holding the role since 2005 and the internet has been awash with rumours as to who will replace the popular host on the show, which sees guests and Marr himself review papers, discuss current topics and often feature high-profile politicians.

Andrew Neil and Laura Kuenssberg are among those to have been linked to the role having departed GB News in Neil’s case, while Kuenssberg is believed to be in talks over leaving her role as the BBC’s political editor, but neither are in the running for the talk show role.

Atkins’ meteoric rise to the top of the markets follows a similar trend to his career, which has seen him go from being a DJ for British Airways to producing the news on BBC Radio 5 Live and eventually to the World Service.

Raworth was the person picked to temporarily fill in for Marr when he steps down in early January for a “short period”, but she has slipped slightly in the betting with OLBG and sits at 13-4 to take on the role full-time despite a glittering CV and history of fronting high-profile shows on the BBC.

Barnett, a main presenter of Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and a regular on Newsnight, is fourth in the running behind Newsnight anchor Maitlis at 13-2, but has seen her odds drift as Atkins and Raworth entered the betting and Emily Maitlis found betting support.