YOUNG actor Frank Milham may be an unknown outside friends and family – but a bookies is offering bets on him to be the next Doctor Who.

The Crawley teenager has been installed as a 33/1 chance to fill the role which is being vacated by Peter Capaldi, who is stepping down after three years.

It happened after a member of bookmaker Paddy Power’s staff saw the youngster at a recent production of Oliver!

Paul Binfield watched Frank play the Artful Dodger and was impressed by his performance.

He said: “The lad has talent – that much is clear. He stole the show.

“I was sitting in the audience and a couple of people independently asked me if we offered any odds on an acting career.

“I had no option but to contact our traders to price him up.

“He may still be a little young to be the next Doctor but you would not be at all surprised if he could carry it off.

“There is no question he has a bright future.”

Frank, 17, has just been invited back for a second audition for a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

The teenager is in his final year of A-level studies at Hazelwick Comprehensive in Crawley, which has a reputation for producing talent.

England manager Gareth Southgate was a former pupil and comedian Romesh Raganathan is an ex-tutor.

Frank said: “To say it is a bit of a shock that Paddy Power has me alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Carlyle in the betting would be a massive understatement.

“I’m also too young to bet, have never been near a betting shop and I’m not sure where this interest has come from.

“Hazelwick has a fantastic drama programme, the teachers are amazing and there have been several former pupils who have gone on to forge a career in theatre.

“But it is very early days for me.

“Obviously the attention is very flattering.

“It is quite funny and more than a little baffling, to be honest.

“I’m a huge fan of Doctor Who and particularly of the tenth Doctor, David Tennant, but I have an incredibly long way to go to get anywhere near that level.

“There is a lot of hard work ahead.

“Yes I would love to be an actor but I only just had a second audition at RADA.

“To me that was a major and unexpected achievement in itself – and it is clear that I need to brush up on a couple of things, not least my singing.”

A spokesman for the bookies said: “We often get punters requesting bets and we’ve seen several for Frank.”