Kirsty is favourite with bookies to get Question Time job as David Dimbleby quits after 25 years 

BBC Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark was yesterday made 2/1 favourite to take over as Question Time host after David Dimbleby’s decision to quit.

Miss Wark, 63, would be the first female host of the BBC1 debating series if she succeeds Dimbleby, 79, who leaves in December after 25 years.

Her Newsnight colleague Emily Maitlis is second favourite with bookies Ladbrokes at odds of 5/1 ahead of BBC Radio 5 Live host Emma Barnett on 10/1.

Radio 4’s Mishal Husain and BBC Daily Politics presenter Andrew Neil are also 10/1 shots with Ladbrokes who put early favourite Kirsty Young at 16/1 – alongside Victoria Derbyshire – while Evan Davis is 12/1 and Andrew Marr 33/1.

It comes after Scot Miss Wark said last month that she hoped one day to front Question Time – one of the most coveted jobs in television. She told Good Housekeeping magazine: ‘I think there will be many people when David Dimbleby decides he doesn’t want to do it any longer. I think I will be one of them, but I’m sure lots of people will throw their hats in the ring for that.’

BBC News at Ten’s Huw Edwards pointed out on Instagram that William Hill made him 5/1 to take over. He wrote: ‘Oh I do love those clever people at William Hill – but I should point out I’ve just signed a new long-term deal on BBC News at 10. Mind you that Kirsty Wark is quite superb…’

BBC News Channel’s Samira Ahmed yesterday plugged her credentials for the job on Twitter, writing: ‘I’m v well qualified to present @bbcquestiontime & I’d like to be seriously considered.’ She added: ‘Happy to go through a process based on equal opportunity, fairness and merit.’

Miss Wark previously revealed she had suffered a ‘hard menopause’ after abandoning hormone replacement therapy (HRT)