BBC refuses inquiry into bets on new Doctor Who

The BBC has refused to investigate a potential betting scam over the announcement of the new Doctor Who.

On Saturday evening, the corporation said Matt Smith, a relatively unknown 26-year-old, would replace David Tennant in the BBC1 series. Smith's name emerged on the leading online betting website Betfair.com on Friday morning, sparking a flurry of bets and in a few hours his odds shortened from 31-1 to 1-3 favourite.

The TV fan website digitalspy.co.uk carried a message on Friday from a user called Filbertthefox, saying: "Just had a look at the odds on the next Doctor on Betfair ... there is a new name at second favourite – Matt Smith. Anyone any ideas who he is or why he is suddenly this high on the list?"

A BBC TV news bulletin on Saturday morning said Smith was a contender for the role and showed a clip of him.

At Paddy Power, which took £40,000 in the market, odds on Smith shortened from 33-1 to 10-1 in a few days. A Paddy Power source said: "It's quite possible people were betting with information ... There's not a lot we can do in such circumstances." There is no evidence that Smith or his agent were betting with information.

Only a few BBC executives knew the identity of the new Doctor before the announcement. The BBC said it had no knowledge of anyone betting on the outcome of the identity of the actor.